The Fifth Mutant
by TheRedScreech
Summary: Animal. Beast. Gutter-crawler. Abandoned. Loveless, nameless. But great. Oh, yes. The potential in this one. She will be great. Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC. DISCONTINUED.
1. Chapter 1: Broken Promises

**The Fifth Mutant**

 _Summary:_ Animal. Beast. Gutter-crawler. Abandoned. Loveless, nameless. But great. Oh, yes. The potential in this one. She will be great.

 **Author's Note:** I'm trying my hand at OC. Let me know what you guys think and whether or not I should continue. 2003 series but heavy references to 2012. Order of birth is Leo, Don, Raph, Mikey. Also, I tried very hard to get the brainwashing technique down without resorting to brain worms and such so some of it might be distressing. I apologize in advance.

 _Chapter 1: Broken Promises_

It's colder today. The wind passes right through my thin jacket to bite at my bones. My cheeks, nose and ears burn in the freezing air and I press my chapped hands against my face to warm it. My blistered feet ache and bleed in the shoes that have been too small for me for three months now but I can't bear to throw them out because Dad bought them for me when I tried out for the track team last year. I didn't make the cut but I kept the shoes when Dad promised he'd help me train for next year.

I hate promises. Nobody ever keeps their promises. Not even Dad. I try not to blame him but he was the one who fell asleep while driving home from work. He was the one who crashed into the other car. He was the one who killed two people – two innocent boys who had broken their curfew and were on their way home – and himself. Dad promised when Mom died when I was nine that he'd always be here for me. He promised to help me make the track team for eighth grade. He promised to always answer my cell phone in a Darth Vader voice when I wasn't fast enough to answer it first. I never really thought about it until the policeman knocked on my front door but Dad made a lot of promises.

Aunt Sherri promised to take care of me. She promised to feed me and give me new clothes and a home. She promised to let me mourn. She made a lot of promises, too.

I hate promises so much but when a lady bought me a sandwich yesterday when she saw me standing outside the café, she promised that if I came to Gapstow Bridge in Central Park at seven o'clock, she would get me off the streets.

So now I'm waiting and I'm pretty sure it's close to seven (I've been walking around the Pond since four this afternoon to try to keep warm). The sun's going down and how can it possibly get colder? My teeth chatter and I curl my hands into my inadequate sleeves, tucking my chin into my low collar.

"Hello." The calm and smooth voice with some kind of Asian accent interrupts my shivering and I jerk my head up to see the woman. She wears a knee-length white coat with a red scarf and red gloves. Her black hair and green eyes are a stark contrast with the outfit but she looks beautiful…and very warm. "I was hoping to see you here."

"Yeah," I agree. "Here I am, I guess."

She beckons to me with a gloved hand and a smile. "Well, come on. I have a vehicle waiting. Let's warm you up."

It's been too long since I was warm.

"How was the sandwich?" she asks pleasantly.

"It was, um, good." I don't have the heart to tell her that I threw it all up an hour later because I ate it too fast and my stomach isn't used to being full of meat, bread, cheese and vegetables.

She glances at me sidelong. "There will be hot soup waiting for you when we arrive. That will go easier on your stomach, I think."

I blush. Clearly, I'm unable to hide things from this woman. "Thank you," I say quietly. "Um, where are we going?"

She smiles again as we come up beside an idling black SUV and, for a second, my stomach clenches because something is so, very not right here but I ignore it because I want to be warm and she says, "We are going home."

I climb into the car and I don't have time to sit down before the door is slammed shut and a cloth slaps against my face, covering my nose and mouth. I inhale to scream but it's not air I breathe and now I'm falling. Blackness washes over me and I hear the woman say with a voice like honey, "You'd like a home, wouldn't you, Paige Erikson?"

-:-:-:-

Voices…and darkness… I don't know where I am… I'm hungry and still cold. Why am I wearing different clothes? Where are my shoes? Oh no. My shoes! Dad's gift to me! Where'd they go?

…

Now light but it's not warm. It's harsh, blinding. More voices. I answer their questions.

I'm Paige Erikson.

I'm thirteen years old.

I was born in Michigan but we moved to New York when I was eight.

My mom died of leukemia when I was nine.

My dad died in a car crash last year.

I have no siblings.

My aunt locked me in the closet and gave me no food for days when I did something wrong.

I have no other relatives.

I've been on the streets for five months now.

Do you know what happened to my shoes?

Someone slaps me. I'm not allowed to ask questions. Something fits around my neck and I try to fight but I get slapped again.

…

Darkness again and I'm awake, even though there's a mat on the floor and I'm so tired. There's an intercom system in my room that blares sudden noises like sirens, barking dogs and rattling chains, thunder and breaking glass. I can't sleep. I want to sleep. Please let me sleep?

…

What do you want from me? I scream and bang against the door, and a sudden, nasty shock from the collar around my neck sends me to the floor. I get back up. Let me go! I'm hungry and thirsty but they won't give me anything.

You promised me soup!

I hate promises.

…

I don't know what time it is or what day it is when the messages start. They're played over the intercom and I press my hands over my ears to drive out the booming voices: Why aren't you at home? Why aren't you at school? Your parents must not have loved you to give you a home and an education.

They died! I protest.

The courts gave you to your aunt who abused you and starved you – what kind of people do that?

What kind of people are you!?

Electricity zaps me and I bite the inside of my cheek by accident.

We're showing you a new way to live. We are educating you, giving you a home. You could at least be grateful.

I squeeze my eyes shut and curl up in the corner on the floor, my hands covering my ears. Shut up. Shut up.

The sun is shining today, though it's still chilly out…

Humans are at the top of the food chain. Humans are capable of killing even the toughest and most skilled predators. You are just below humans.

I look up at that. Am I not human?

And I get another shock.

…

The messages are inconsistent. They bleed into each other, changing topics and opinions so quickly that I don't understand half of it, though I hear it all. It's constant. Noises blare at me randomly and I can't stay in my corner. I have to get up. I have to move. I pace around my room (cell?). My hands twitch and even though it's dark and I can't see, my head whips around at every sound…

I think I'm going crazy but I don't dare ask questions.

…

You're lower than humans. What are you to anybody when nobody cares? You're an animal. An animal is what you are and what you always will be.

You are nameless, faceless, friendless…

We can show you the way…

They're expecting a late Spring…

 _That's too bad,_ I think, and I don't ask questions.

...

Light. Thank goodness. It's soft and warm and is that food? I think it but don't say it out loud. Holy cow, it's soup! And not the canned kind. It's real chicken broth and the vegetables still pack a little bit of crunch - celery, carrots and onions. The noodles are thick and cooked to perfection and the chicken is tender and is that...garlic? I inhale greedily. Oh, man, I love garlic - or I did. I can't remember but I don't really care because my stomach curls with warmth, as do the nerve-endings of my soul. I feel better all over and I smile into green eyes framed in black hair.

"Thank you," I whisper.

She brushes my cheek with the backs of her fingers. She smiles at me then takes the bowl out of my hands, along with the spoon. "Rest now," she soothes. "You are safe. You'll get more later."

I lie down even though she's still in the room - she won't hurt me, right? Right. I hear the door close just as my eyelids flutter shut.

...

More noise. Please, make it stop! I don't sleep for as long as I want to. Please, I just want to sleep.

...

More messages. More confusion. But at least my soup is still warm in my gut.

...

I have to pee but there's nowhere to go. I have to pee! Let me out! (For a brief second, I think it strange that I didn't have to go before: how much time has passed, really?)

...

Animal. Not human. Beneath them.

...

My full bladder screams and I cry.

...

I relieve myself in the corner as far from my bed and the door as possible. I hate myself but it's what an animal would do, right? So why should I be bothered by it? The lack of a shock makes me smile. At least they're not in my head.

…

Animal. Beast. Gutter-crawler. Abandoned. Loveless, nameless.

But great.

Oh, yes. The potential in this one. She will be great.

...

I'm not sure how much time is passing - hours, days, weeks? - but I get soup from the lady with green eyes. She's kind to me. She never speaks (she hasn't said anything since she first gave me soup) but she always touches me somehow: a pat on the head, a stroke on my cheek. It's nice. But I still wish I could sleep.

...

Such a lowly creature.

Far from the derogatory tones from before, this voice is gentle. I smile to myself as I pee in my corner.

So young, so fresh. You are a gift.

A gift? Me? Really? That's nice of them to say.

You are meant to be great. We can show you the way, if you'd like.

Yes, please. I'm sure I'm forgetting something, something important, but I don't really care at this point. This voice is kind and I like that. I like the lady with green eyes who gives me warm food. I would like to sleep, though. May I sleep, please?

I forgot to not ask questions the moment I get shocked.

...

They don't come anymore. Noises disrupt any sleep I hope to get.

I miss the lady with green eyes and warm food. My stomach misses her, too.

...

Now it's silent and it's worse than the noise. It's deafening and now I really can't sleep because what if something attacks me? What if... What if...

I fall asleep. Maybe the lady with green eyes will help me...

…

The darkness evaporates in a flash of light and I jerk awake with a whimper, shielding my eyes and rolling away to curl up against the wall.

"Why are you afraid, little one?" It's the green-eyed lady! I'm happy she's here so I unwind and look up at her.

"I'm hungry."

Quiet footsteps on the hard, cold floor. "I have some soup for you. Here. Eat."

 _I need a spoon,_ I think but I don't say it.

The bowl is set on the floor and I crawl to it. My muscles hurt, they're so tightly wound. My brain is sharp but sluggish at the same time. I eat the soup straight from the bowl.

"I'm sleepy."

"You can sleep soon. I promise. We're going to go for a little walk. You'd like that, wouldn't you? Stretch your legs?"

I nod because it's true and something comes off from around my neck. The shock collar is gone and I get a new one. It's not tight and it's not uncomfortable, like it's meant to be there.

"Can't have you running off, can we?"

"I'll never run. Where would I go?"

I bite my lip and mutter, "Sorry", as I look down. Not even three seconds after the shock collar comes off, I'm already asking questions.

"Apology accepted. Now come."

There's a rope in her hands and when she tugs, there's a tug on my neck. I follow her out of my room and into a hallway. The air's fresher here and I inhale, smiling. This is nice.

She leads me to another room except this one is much bigger and there are a lot of humans here. I shrink against her side. They'll hurt me if I stray.

Five large tubes stand erect on one side of the room, four filled with humans. They're younger than the adults. They're asleep.

She helps me step up into the fifth and last tube and removes the collar.

"Can I sleep now?"

She frowns but says, "Yes. Sleep now. You'll feel better in the morning." She pats my head then steps back and the tube closes. It's not comfortable, trying to sleep standing up, but there are lots of animals that do it like horses and some birds.

I can't hear what she and the humans say but then the top of my tube opens and some green liquid falls on me. It's a waterfall of green and it doesn't stop. It's up to my knees in a second and to my waist in another. When it reaches my chest, I panic: I kick against the thick and transparent tube, punch it, slap my hands against it. Let me out! I hear the four others screaming, having woken up. Their tubes are filling up, too.

It stops just below my chin but the pain takes me by surprise. It splits apart my skin and muscles and bones. Everything is breaking, shattering and splintering into countless pieces. I'm screaming. I'm dying.

I'm dying.

We're all dying.

I just want to sleep.

Through the green-splashed tube, I see her. Her green eyes, several shades darker than my death, twinkle with victory. She smiles at me.

I hate promises. I can't remember why I hate them but I do.

-:-

Please review.


	2. Chapter 2: The Elite Five

**lizzybudd:** Poor Paige indeed. She's got a lot in front of her now, to say the least. I like how you liked the broken promises theme since I really tried to hammer that home. Paige needs someone and Karai (you are correct!) just happened upon her. Her hatred for promises will continue throughout the story, for sure. Thanks a bunch!

 **BlueBoltKatana:** I will never forget my other fanfictions, don't you worry! I've actually had this idea in my head for a good while now but I didn't want to post it because I feared I'd let "Flash" slide by the wayside. I will do my best to stay on top of both stories at the same time, you have my word. Also, thank you!

 **Guest:** I'm sorry you feel that way. :( Brainwashing is definitely over now so we can kick back and enjoy the story properly, at least I hope you do. Thanks for your review.

 **prangersturtles:** Thank you! That's so kind!

 **AlessandraDC:** I really wanted readers to know Paige as quickly as possible: where she is, where she came from. Her future is rather hazy but at least there will be trouble. ;)

 **Author's Note:** Paige is no longer human...

 _Chapter 2: The Elite Five_

Oroku Karai smiles to herself as she views her five new pets. All are perfect specimens and she has never been prouder of her selections. Many of the selected humans took weeks, some even months, to track down and break but, oh, the rewards she is reaping. Her patience has won out at last.

Even her own father expressed his opinion - "Well done, Daughter" - in a voice that betrayed no emotion but the words were sincere enough. He stands beside her now, taking in the newest additions to their Foot Clan.

"They are impressive," he murmurs.

"Yes," she replies.

"And their minds?"

"Operational and loyal." She says it with not even an iota of doubt.

"Magnificent." Saki's eyes rove over the five mutants in front of him in their respective glass enclosures, just as Karai's do.

The male Lion, the male White Tiger, the male Jaguar, the female Lynx and the female Snow Leopard. All beautiful. All controlled. All hers.

Her own personal guard. Her Elite Five.

-:-:-:-

She sits on her haunches, her paws gathered neatly before her, on the dais beside her mistress. Her gray-green gaze is icy and her expression gives nothing away but polite interest as she watches the combat session. It's White Tiger versus Jaguar at the moment and she can see that the smaller, spotted cat is having a rough go: none of his hits have landed and he's bleeding from claws marks above his left eye and she's sure his left shoulder is bleeding beneath his black uniform. White Tiger glances at Mistress, she nods, and the massive animal bares his teeth in a roar that shakes the walls. He kicks out with both hind feet, striking Jaguar squarely in the chest. Jaguar crashes to the floor but makes no noise of pain – it is not permitted. White Tiger turns to the dais and bows.

"Well done," Mistress praises, her head arched and her jade eyes lofty. "Snow Leopard?"

While Jaguar picks himself up and retreats off the mat, Snow Leopard rises to her hind feet yet stays crouched so that her hands brush the floor because they are not allowed to stand erect except in combat.

As she steps forward, Mistress brushes her spine and she arches automatically against the hand, enjoying the touch. "Don't disappoint me," she says.

Snow Leopard meets that powerful, green stare and nods. After all, has she ever disappointed her?

She strides forward, tightening the obi around her waist to keep her kosode secure, and White Tiger steps back, giving her space as she steps onto the mat. They turn, synchronized and silent, and bow to Mistress who lifts her hand to signal the match. They bow to each other and Snow Leopard sidesteps when White Tiger charges. After training together for as long as she can remember, she knows all his tricks, strengths and weakness, just as he knows all of hers. He knows she waits, and he knows that she knows he likes to end the session as quickly as possible.

 _It is too bad that he is not more patient_ , she thinks as she skips back and out of reach of White Tiger's claws. She allows herself a tiny smirk when he misses again and he snarls wordlessly at her.

"Quit baiting him, Snow Leopard. This is training, not playtime."

Snow Leopard obediently inclines her head in her mistress's direction and then lunges forward. Springing off the balls of her feet and using her tail for extra momentum, she catches those tender, black-striped, white ears in her claws and lands on his back. Her weight drives him into the ground but he's already moving. He twists but she follows, compensating his strength with her agility. Her fangs tear into his flesh only a fraction, just enough to draw blood but not enough to do serious damage. They grapple on the floor in a mash of white and black, and silver, gold and black, tails lashing and teeth flashing mere millimeters from each other's face.

At last, she's on top of him and one hakama-covered knee is pressed into his throat, the claws of her right hand directly over his closed eyes. He uses his tail to tap the floor, conceding victory.

"Excellent!" Mistress smiles as she stands, and Snow Leopard gets to her feet, crouching to half her height. Mistress draws near and cards her fingers through the thick fur around her neck. "Most excellent," she simpers.

Snow Leopard can't help but respond to the praise with a low purr, nuzzling the hand. Behind her, she smells White Tiger's disappointment; he rarely gets petted.

"My pets," says Mistress, beckoning with her other hand.

Out of the shadows surrounding the dojo come Jaguar, Lion and Lynx. Lynx is the only other female and the two females are close; they share a discreet smile. Lion is pack leader and Snow Leopard admires his confidence as much as she admires the muscles in his arms and back when he does not wear his kosode (which he is right now).

"My pets," Mistress says again, dropping her hand from Snow Leopard's neck. "I have a treat for you. Tonight, we are going out."

"Out, Mistress?" Lion asks, his quiet voice a rumble of distant thunder. "Outside the Tower?"

"Yes, my precious ones. Father has a task for us and we would do well to accomplish it."

All five heads nod. Father of Mistress is a hard but fair man – Snow Leopard has seen him cull followers who failed him. Failure is not tolerated. Not by him and not by Mistress.

"We leave shortly after dusk so make sure you are rested for tonight. We may be out for several hours. Understood?"

"Yes, Mistress," all five say.

"Very good. Lion, Snow Leopard, walk with me. I have details to share with you."

Mistress turns and Snow Leopard allows Lion to move first so he can take up position on Mistress's right. She stays on Mistress's left. She wonders what is so important that it could not be divulged to the others. Perhaps it is another task?

Her intuition is spot on because Mistress says, "You two are my most trusted and so I must ask you to help me with something."

"We are yours to command, Mistress," she pledges.

That earns her a smile and a quick brush over her ears with a hand. "I know. There is a possibility that our task tonight might be…interrupted. There are four formidable ninja who continuously waylay my father's plans."

Lion snorts. "What are four to a whole clan?" It is because he is leader that he is allowed to ask questions. Snow Leopard is not leader so she remains quiet. She also does not react, and watches her mistress's face.

Jade eyes harden. "Those four have almost brought about the destruction of the entire Foot Clan more than a dozen times since we met them. You should not underestimate your enemy, Lion."

Lion immediately sobers. "Forgive me, Mistress. I meant no disrespect."

"I'm sure," she replied curtly. "Few in number though they are, they are skilled in the art of ninjutsu but there is one place in which they are vulnerable…" She trails off meaningfully and Snow Leopard tilts her head to one side. "They are brothers."

Snow Leopard blinks.

"Brothers in…blood?" Lion asks, his amber eyes round. The concept of family is strange to them, as none of the Five are related and even Mistress and Father of Mistress do not share blood.

"Yes, and therein lies their weakness. Their leader, especially, takes his brothers' safety very seriously. Harm one of them and you will cripple the entire unit."

While Lion smiles and nods, Snow Leopard frowns and she pinches a whisker between her thumb and forefinger. "And risk their wrath, Mistress," she points out. "Bonds such as brotherhood should not be taken lightly. We might cripple them or we might ensure our demise. You say they have almost destroyed our clan before. You say we should not underestimate them. This, I think, is underestimating them."

Cold, hard eyes land on her and she crouches lower to the ground, flattening her ears in respect. Behind her, Lion pulls his lips back over his massive teeth.

"You doubt me, Snow Leopard?" Mistress hisses.

"Never, Mistress. I am only concerned in the success of the task Father of Mistress has set for you. He does not tolerate failure."

Something flashes through those green irises because Mistress nods and puts a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You are correct, Snow Leopard, and I appreciate your concern. That is why you are Lion's second. You have the patience and the mind to look at all angles before acting." She crosses her arms over her chest and leans her weight back on her right foot, thinking. Lion and Snow Leopard wait patiently.

"Here then," she says at last. "White Tiger, Jaguar and Lynx will assist me with the task. Your task will be to keep an eye out for these ninja. Lure them out and to you if you can, then…strike."

Snow Leopard inclines her head, her tongue burning to ask a question.

Thank goodness for Lion: "How will we know when we've found them?"

"Trust me, Lion, you will know; for they are like you in that they are not human. They are turtles."

Snow Leopard and her leader share a look. Ninja turtles? How…cute. She reveals her teeth in a predator's smile and Lion matches it: the hunt is on.

-:-

 **Translations:**

Obi - sash

Kosode - short-sleeved shirt, usually worn beneath a haori, with traditional hakama pants

Hakama - wide pants. While hakama for men can be worn for formal or informal occasions, women do not tend to wear them outside of formal functions and traditional sports, preferring the kimono.

For the sake of simplicity and my own sanity, all of the Elite Five wear a uniform consisting of a black kosode, black hakama, a black obi and, on certain occasions, a black haori (long-sleeved, open jacket). While I do not profess to be any kind of expert on Japanese dress, I understand that parts of (if not the whole of) the outfit were used by both ninja and samurai (though samurai was more heavily mentioned and ninja sometimes not at all).

Please review.


	3. Chapter 3: Questions

**prangersturtles:** The thing with a story is that you have to ask two constant questions: how can things go wrong? and why does it matter? These questions are what drive plot. They are the cause and effect. Something happens and it affects the characters emotionally or physically or whatever. Then another something happens and then another and it's just this continuous round of cause and effect until you reach an end-goal. Characters are an excellent starting point (goodness knows I need to have the names down before I do anything). If you need to bounce ideas of me, I'm more than willing to help. A few people have already done so but no, I am not a beta reader! I can't do that! Thank you for your kind words. :)

 **Natalie Ryan:** Aw, thank you! Good guess on Karai! Funny thing, though, is that in the 2003 series, Karai does have green eyes so I've always wondered if she was a Caucasian-Asian mix and then abandoned, and Oroku Saki just so happened to pick her up. Yes, Paige is Snow Leopard. The reason why the narrative changed from first to third is that Paige is no longer active in Snow Leopard's consciousness (if that makes any sense). This will come into play a bit more as the story continues and I hope it doesn't get too confusing.

 **lizzybudd:** I already answered your review in a personal message but I'll thank you again for being my inspiration. And I do intend on fleshing out the hierarchy a bit more. :D

 **Author's Note:** Special thanks to **lizzybudd** for inspiring me for this story (and not being mad at me for being inspired). If you like action, humour and all-around-awesomeness, guys, go check out her story "Scarlett" and its sequel "Neko". You will not be disappointed!

Also, I've decided that this is set in Season 3 after Bishop's Gambit (so that a butt-load of stuff has happened to the guys and they all know and 'hate' Karai) but it diverts from there - does that make this an AU? I have no idea how those work. Shredder never tries to leave Earth to conquer the Universe and the guys don't try to blow themselves up to stop him. Probably an AU then. Sorry for the late notice. :P

 _Chapter 3: Questions  
_

"Are ya sure 'bout this, Fearless?"

Leo, crouched on a rooftop as close to the docks as possible, drops his head and closes his eyes. "Yes, Raph," he says stiffly. "If you have an issue with it, take it up with Don but, please, spare me your uncertainty." Lifting his head he gives his younger brother eye-for-eye and says, " _I_ am certain. That should be enough for you."

Raph growls low but Mikey nudges him and he falls silent.

" _You guys in position?_ " Don's voice comes through on the headset.

"Just waiting on you, Donnie," Leo replies.

" _Almost there. The Foot's already here so I had to take out a couple guys – before you even say anything, Leo: yes, I'm fine; no, I did not attract any attention; I am ninja, too, after all._ "

"I wasn't going to say anything," Leo bites out and both Raph and Mikey snicker behind him.

" _Sure you weren't. Okay, so the shipment incoming is a legal transaction. However, the guns en route are not typical. They're laser-powered and, no, I'm not joking. We can't let that kind of tech fall into Shredder's hands because he's just going to hand it all over to Hun and the Purple Dragons._ "

"So we're fast," Leo says. "We get in, grab it and get out."

" _I have eyes on it already,_ " Don interrupts. " _At least, I see the crate they're supposed to be in._ "

"Then go. Go now!"

They're about to leap off the roof when Don hisses. " _Oh, shell!_ "

"What? What is it? Donatello!"

" _Karai's here,_ " he spits. " _She just pulled up and…what on Earth…?_ "

There is dead silence but for his brother's quiet breaths in Leo's ear and every muscle in his body seizes. "Donatello, talk!"

" _Look down._ "

All three turtles obey. There, directly below their rooftop, is the distinct form of Karai in her usual getup of grey and black with the red bandana around her forehead. While Leo was all ready for her to be surrounded by a pack of loyal Foot ninja, the three shadows at her heels are completely unexpected.

"What are they?" Raph breathes at the sight of what appear to be large cats walking on their hind legs behind Karai.

"Hey, guys," Mikey ventures, breaking the intensity. "I've, uh, I've got a bad feeling. Do you feel like we're being watched?"

Leo and Raph snap their heads up just as Don curses from the other end of the line. " _I need backup right now, guys!_ "

"Raph," Leo commands, and for once, Raph obeys without hesitation. He lunges over the gutter and disappears into the shadows. "Stay close, Mikey," says Leo, standing and unsheathing his right katana.

"Um, not to be a worry-wart, Leo, but I think we should run." Mikey's baby-blue eyes are round and huge behind his orange mask, and there are goosebumps on his arms.

"Stay here," the blue-banded turtle orders and then he vanishes into the night.

"Great," he hears his baby brother mutter but he's more focussed on the heavy steps coming toward them.

He inches forward as silent as moonlight and then he freezes when their stalker peels out of the shadows.

It's a lion. He's massive, standing easily at seven feet on his hind feet (paws?), and clothed in Foot ninja garb. His mane is half-formed, though, so he's…young? But his eyes, his brilliant-amber eyes, lock on him as if he's a target and the lion is a heat-seeking missile.

No. As if he's prey and the lion is the hunter.

Something in Leo's gut screams at the sight of those eyes and those claws and those _teeth_. The lion doesn't even have time to twitch his tail before Leo pivots and runs.

 _Tactical retreat_ , he tells himself. _Tactical retreat._ But he knows he's lying to himself – and he hates lying! Never in his whole life has he ever felt so low on the food chain. Never has he ever been reminded of the fact that, technically, he is very low on the food chain. He races back to Mikey at full tilt.

And it is at full tilt that something crashes into him. Jumps on him. And he feels claws sink into his tender shoulders.

It's just before he hits the ground that he remembers the sword in his left hand and thirteen years of ninja training take over.

He swings as he twists, landing on his carapace, and he feels his blade bite into flesh. The claws retract in an instant as the lion yelps and he's up and running again, not once looking back.

Mikey. He has to get back to Mikey. He has to find Don and Raph, and they have to get the shell out of here.

Panic burns in his brain but he does his best to douse it with calm, deep breaths. He cannot afford to panic right now, even as he runs for his life. He has other lives to worry about right now.

Shouting erupts from the docks and roars shatter the night – it sounds like a tiger.

He's back at the roof where he left Mikey and there he is, at the edge and shifty-footed. "Mikey!" he calls.

He's about to call retreat when a shadow bypasses him, long and low to the ground. A blur of silver and black lunges forward, leaping so smoothly into the air, Leo is momentarily stunned, but then it lands on Mikey with a guttural hiss.

He can feel the lion slide into position behind him and he absently ducks the claws aimed at his head even as he moves forward, as Mikey screams "LEO!" as if he's about to die.

Because he is about to die.

The mountain of silver and black raises a clawed hand to send his little brother flying into Death's waiting arms but at Mikey's scream, it hesitates.

Hesitation is good.

Leo swings his sword just as Mikey punches with one fist and slams one nunchaku end into its face with another.

The snow leopard – for it is a snow leopard, stout and long and undeniably powerful – ducks the katana but takes Mikey's blow and stumbles away on all fours, shaking its head.

"Run, Mikey, run!" Leo shouts, hauling his brother to his feet.

Fate, he can feel that lion closing in!

"Go! Just go!"

The two turtle brothers jump to the adjacent roof and take off in a sprint. Leo's still giving orders: "Don't look back! Keep going! Head for the lair! I'll get Don and Raph!"

"Fearless!" A call snaps his head around and relief scalds his veins when he sees the remaining two of his brothers. Raph and Don are both running, both look unharmed. "Fearless, it's done!"

Leo dares to glance back and his very soul staggers at the pack of wildcats – all five: the lion, the snow leopard, a white tiger, a jaguar and a lynx – in hot pursuit. "Not yet, it's not!" he yells back. "Come on! Run!"

The cats chase them across Queens and they're halfway through Brooklyn when they finally seem to give up.

"Leo, they're stopping!" Mikey gasps.

"Get to Prospect Park. First manhole you see."

It's on Flatbush Avenue that they finally get below ground and Leo listens for any sign of pursuit while his brothers wheeze and lean against the mucky walls. At last, he releases the breath he was holding and sags against the access ladder.

"Are you okay?" he asks. "Is everybody okay? Mikey?"

"All good, bro. Just a bruise," his brother manages between heaving breaths.

"Don?"

The purple-banded turtle gives him a thumbs up in the semi-darkness. "No harm done."

"Raph?"

The hothead shrugs. "A couple cuts, nothin' ta worry over."

"Good. That's good." Leo allows the ladder to take more of his weight. He's a little dizzy and really achy.

"Hey, Leo, are _you_ okay?" A hand on his shoulder is supposed to be gentle but makes his vision hedge in white from pain and he barely holds back a scream. What does come out is a tiny whimper and Mikey whips his hand away like he was burned.

"Don!" his baby brother cries.

His brothers are around him in an instant and a flashlight is produced.

"The shell!?" Raph exclaims and Leo blinks at the streams of blood down his plastron, now visible in the soft light.

Oh. That's right. He got tackled by the lion. "The lion had claws," Leo muses softly.

"Clearly!" snarls Donnie, whipping off his mask and wading it so, so gently against his left shoulder. "Lions have an average claw-length of seven centimeters! What were you doing, letting it jump on you!?"

"Yell at me later, Don. Please?"

It's a small miracle that his genius brother backs off. "Okay, okay. All right. Later sounds good. Can you walk?"

"Um…maybe?"

"Let Raph take your weight. Careful now. Mikey."

Mikey immediately presses his own mask to his right shoulder. "Was this before or after the leopard?"

"Before," Leo mumbles. "I ran as soon as I saw him but he caught up to me."

"Wait, wait, it caught up to you?" Don's brown eyes are narrowed.

Leo leans a bit more on Raph and replies, "Mmhm." Then he frowns. "How'd they not catch us?"

"That is a very good question."

"Maybe they were just runnin' us outta there?" Raph suggests. "I mean, we threw those laser-guns inta the bay."

"The tech is nullified when it becomes submerged," adds Don, ever helpful.

"Nice job," praises Leo.

"I'm sorry but are we forgetting the fact that we just had a run-in with five freakishly huge cats?" Mikey puts in, his voice high with distress.

"Actually," Donnie corrects, "they appeared to be normal-sized for their respective species. They only looked bigger because they walked on their hind legs but they chased us while on all fours, if you noticed."

"Kinda slipped our minds, Brainiac," Raph grouses. "We _were_ runnin' fer our lives."

"What are they?" Leo asks, looking to their resident genius.

Donatello shrugs. "I'd have to get a sample to understand exactly what it was we saw but...at the same time, I'd really rather not."

"Will this do?" Mikey holds out one end of his nunchaku and everyone sees the red blood dappling the hard wood.

Leo watches humorously as Donnie's eyes widen at the sight. "Yeah," the bō-wiedling turtle whispers, amazed. "This will work just fine." Then Donnie turns to him and peels back the bloodied, purple fabric. His grimace is telling. "Well, at least the bleeding's slowing. We need to get you bandaged up as soon as possible, though."

"Sounds good." Leo manages a small smile. "Sounds really good."

"Okay, Fearless." Raph hoists him upright and Mikey takes his other side. "Let's get ya home, huh?"

"Just…no running, 'kay?"

"Fair enough." It might be the dizziness but Leo thinks his hotheaded brother is smiling at him.

-:-:-:-

Snow Leopard does not dare to move.

Mistress is on her knees in front of Father of Mistress, her head bowed. Father of Mistress sits in his high-backed chair and his gaze is cold and piercing as he regards the woman.

"There is a time and place for everything, Karai," he says quietly.

"Yes, Father."

"You purposefully deviated from my instructions to pursue the turtles. This should have been a simple transaction but now, thanks to you, our goal lies at the bottom of the bay."

Karai bows lower, touching her forehead to the wooden floor. "I am sorry, Father. I take full responsibility."

"Do you now? As tempting as it is to turn those green demons into soup, I'm starting to think that allowing you to take charge during such operations as this was a mistake on my part."

"No, Father, please. I can do better. I got sidetracked. I anticipated the turtles intervening and hoped to either kill or capture them during the transaction. That is why I sent my two best out and kept the others with me to see through the acquisition of the weaponry."

Mistress of Father leans forward in his chair, his elbows on his knees and his fingertips together. Snow Leopard has seen this pose before many times and it always bodes ill for the intended. "I see. Then how did both go so wrong? You may look up, Karai."

Karai rose and sat back on her heels, saying, "Donatello arrived before we did and took out several of our guards. It was White Tiger who smelled him out and Raphael joined him to assist him when White Tiger attacked. I tried to get the weapons but in the confusion, I failed to notice Donatello had taken the crate, and the weapons were tossed off the dock.

"As far as Lion and Snow Leopard are concerned, Lion managed to injure Leonardo, though not seriously; and Snow Leopard received a blow to the head when she tried to kill Michelangelo." A cautious glance is cast over Mistress's shoulder in her direction as she adds, "There's no severe damage and she was able to join the chase when I gave the order for all five of my guard to pursue the turtles. They chased them out of Queens and were well into Brooklyn when they finally turned around. I told them to pursue but not to kill or capture, since our goal had not been reached anyway. I had hoped that my guard would run them to exhaustion but their stamina is incredible for turtles."

"Obviously." Father of Mistress leans back and presses his fingertips under his chin. "Well, it seems your guard has caused our enemies at least a bit of strife. But be warned, Karai." His gaze is piercing and merciless as he stares his daughter down. "If you fail me again, I will not be so merciful. Get out and take your animals with you."

Snow Leopard bows as her teammates do, as Mistress does, and follows Mistress out.

"See yourselves to your rooms," she says. "I must retire."

"Sleep well, Mistress," all five say.

Snow Leopard is following her team, walking beside Lynx, when her mistress's voice calls her back. "Stay with me tonight?"

It is a rare privilege to safeguard Mistress from bad dreams and night demons but never before has she asked; it has always been an order.

"Of course, Mistress," Snow Leopard says. She shares a brief glance with Lion and Lynx and turns away from the group

Mistress does not touch her until they are safe in her spacious and luxurious rooms. As much as Snow Leopard enjoys spending time with her, she does not like her mistress's rooms: they are too large and open, there is carpet instead of stone, and the blankets she is given are too warm; but she endures it because of Mistress.

She sits quietly in a corner while Mistress undresses behind a screen with painted blossoms and cranes, and removes her kosode, hakama and obi only after Mistress climbs into bed. Clad simply in cotton fabric across her breast and around her loins (for modesty's sake, or so Mistress says), she crawls toward the bed on all fours and curls up on the floor.

"Snow Leopard, come up." A hand pats the coverlet.

This is a first and Snow Leopard is hesitant but she obeys after only a second's deliberation. The mattress is soft and gives way beneath her weight. She pads carefully around Mistress's feet and lies down beside her, tossing her long, thick tail over her legs to keep away autumn's chill.

Gentle fingers card through the fur along her shoulder and the movement is soothing…lulling…

"Are you all right?" Mistress asks.

"Yes, Mistress. My head no longer hurts" is the prompt reply.

The fingers stop and there's a whisper. "Lion told me you hesitated to kill Michelangelo."

Snow Leopard keeps her breaths even, though her heart pounds a bit quicker. "I will not hesitate next time," she says firmly.

The fingers resume. "Good."

There's a pause then "...Thank you for…being here…with me."

"Where else would I go?"

Snow Leopard is asleep before she realizes her error and does not notice how Mistress's hand freezes in her fur.

-:-:-:-

She has him pinned and he's such a little thing that she can probably hold him down with one hand. Her claws unsheathe at her will and she lifts her right hand to slam her mini daggers into his throat.

Then he screams but it isn't the noise that startles her, it's the word: Leo, with such terror that she hears something else.

 _Daddy!_

Resounding through her brain is a cry that she's sure came from her lips as…something comes at her. Or maybe she's going to it? Regardless, the terror is the same, the terror of being about to die.

Leo.

Daddy.

Different and yet…the same.

She wakes up with a jerk that mercifully does not wake Mistress. No sound escapes her. All is well. She is safe and so is Mistress and so are her teammates, and the turtles are far away. All is well.

Right?

But she knew better than to ask questions.

-:-

Please review.


	4. Chapter 4: Fearless Leaders

**prangersturtles:** Thank you! That's so kind! I wish you the best of luck in your writing.

 **BlueBoltKatana:** I must correct you: Snow Leopard did not dream of Leo. She dreamed of the incident when she pinned Mikey and Mikey screamed for Leo to help him. As far as Karai goes...she's rather enigmatic in my head for now. Leo and Lion, friends? Interesting...

 **Natalie Ryan:** Snow Leopard will definitely remember a thing or two more. Confusion and questions are a bad thing but she can't help it. We'll just have to wait and see what happens. And thank you. That's awesome that you were able to picture everything. :)

 **lizzybudd:** Haha! Yeah, scared turtles are fun to work with. And thanks. :)

 **TMNT-Queen:** I'm flattered that you're reading all my stuff (thank you a thousand times over for reviewing it all!). Here's your update!

 **Author's Note:** I am truly sorry for the sudden change in tense but writing in the present tense is not normal for me. I would begin writing and I'd be several paragraphs in before I realized I was writing in past and I had to go back and change it all which is rather tedious work. I will probably, eventually, change the first three chapters to the past tense but for now I apologise and will continue this story in the past tense.

 _Chapter 4: Fearless Leaders_

Mikey inched the slightly-open door wider and stuck his head in to peer into the darkened room. "Leo?" he asked softly.

There was a hushed sigh from the direction of the bed and then his big brother's voice drifted through the black: "Come in, Mikey."

Closing the door behind him, Mikey didn't hesitate and crossed the floor in a handful of swift and silent bounds, climbing into bed with his big brother who lay on his stomach with his shoulders bandaged.

"You that worried about me, huh?" Leo wondered sleepily.

"Hey, I'm worried about me, too." Mikey tried to downplay his nerves but his trembling voice betrayed him.

Leo's chuckle was delayed but it was to be expected with the pain meds he was on which made him sluggish and drowsy.

 _At least he's not loopy like Raph would be,_ Mikey thought absently. "You good, bro?" he asked. Just to make sure.

"Yeah. Just dizzy."

"Don said you've lost some blood but you didn't lose enough to lose consciousness."

"An optimist if there ever was one," quipped Leo.

"Me or Don?"

"Hm…" he mumbled sleepily. "Both? Yeah. Both. My two optimistic, little brothers."

"What about Raph? Is he a pessimist?"

"Realist," answered Leo. "So…same thing?"

Mikey snorted a laugh. "Same thing," he agreed.

A long pause fell between them but it wasn't at all uncomfortable. Mikey did know how to be silent but mostly because it was a windup to a question (or several) burning away in his brain.

He knew his brother hadn't fallen asleep yet so…here it went. "Hey, Leo?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you think she hesitated?"

Leo blinked at him, navy irises near-black in the darkness. "Who?"

"The snow leopard. She hesitated to kill me. Why?"

With obvious pain and effort, Leo shifted to wrap and arm over his shell. "I'm not really sure," he confessed, "but I'm glad she did. I was so afraid I was going to lose you… My little brother…"

Mikey didn't know what to say to that so he said nothing and all too soon, Leo's quiet breaths quieted even more as he fell asleep, succumbing to the medication, pain and exhaustion at last. He exhaled heavily and snuggled closer, having a care for the wounded limb slung across his back and listening to him breathe: in...out…in…out…in…

He stayed awake for another hour and his mind kept going round and round the fact that his big brother, his fearless leader, had been afraid.

For him.

-:-:-:-

Snow Leopard yawned, curling her tongue over her lower jaw and between her canines, and rolled over, tail tip twitching over the floor.

Snow Leopard loved the arena. Built and designed specifically and solely for the Elite Five, it was far from just a simple mat-over-the-floor kind of room and was an athlete's dream: balance beams; rings; and parallel bars; a large, swimming pool with one each of two-, five- and ten-meter diving boards; a track; five wavemasters; mirrors for shadow-boxing; and a jungle gym, complete with climbing ropes and monkey bars. Covering three stories, there were lookout balconies cut into the floor to observe anything happening below. The pool was on the bottom in the middle with the track around it. On the second floor was the gymnastics and martial arts equipment, named The Dojo for lack of a better term. The third story held the jungle gym which sat along the entire east wall and took up more than half the space; the rest of it was affectionately called the Sun Room.

Painted and decorated in vibrant shades of yellow, orange and red, it mirrored dawn on the walls, as well as through the wide windows that faced south. The cats spent at the very least four hours a day here, basking in the sunshine when training was over. Mistress said it had something to do with metabolism but that was a human word which Snow Leopard had no intention of understanding. And it was in the Sun Room where Snow Leopard lay sprawled on her stomach beside Lion whose ears flicked back and forth, following the movement of their packmates downstairs who had yet to finish the intense training from which the two cats had been excused.

Though her head no longer ached, her equilibrium was off and Lion had taken a sword to the shoulder last night so he was under strict orders to lie down and stay down. They both were.

Beside her, Lion stretched gently and turned his maned head to her. His amber eyes gleamed in the bright sunshine, turning gold. "How are you?" he asked quietly.

"I'm better, thank you."

"You don't look better. What's the matter, Snow?"

Lion was the only one to call her that. It was strange but he'd been saying it since before they'd come to New York and so it didn't bother her as much anymore.

But her leader had asked her a question and a very personal one at that. Pulling her arms and legs under her so she was still lying down but not completely, she lifted her head. "I'm…having nightmares."

"Nightmares?" he echoed. "As in…dreams?" It was rare that they dreamed, Snow Leopard knew.

"Bad dreams," she confirmed.

"When did they start?"

"Last night. I... In our battle with the turtles, when I had the little one pinned, he screamed and I...I think I remembered something but that's not possible, right?"

"Perhaps if you start from the beginning?" Lion suggested.

Snow Leopard inhaled and released the breath slowly. So she began, recounting their attack last night, the reason why she hesitated and the subsequent nightmare as she slept beside Mistress.

Lion's eyes widened more and more and when she finished, he spoke. "Daddy? Are you sure? But we have no parents. We do not have family. There is only Mistress and the pack."

"I know that, Lion," Snow Leopard said, perhaps a little defensively. "That is why I'm so confused. Whether or not the dream was real, the emotions were. At some point in my life, I was terrified that I was about to die."

"That's not possible," Lion reassured. "We have been together all this time. Even before coming here, when we lived in Japan with Mistress, we were never in any dangerous situation outside of training."

Snow Leopard opened her mouth to say _I know_ again but shut it and turned her head away. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I shouldn't have said anything. Forget it. It's just a dream."

Lion inched closer, nuzzling his cheek against hers. "I will not, not when it distresses you. We'll figure it out, Snow."

Snow Leopard couldn't help but smile and nuzzle him back, and he tossed a long arm over her shoulders, drawing her closer. "Thank you, Lion."

"No, my friend. Thank you. For trusting me with this. I know you do not like to confess your emotions."

"Just as you confess them too often," she pointed out.

"I do not!" scoffed her leader.

"You do not speak but your eyes do," she explained.

Lion sighed and rested his chin on her head, beginning to purr. "I just fear for you," he said, hushed. "Snow, we'll figure out what's wrong. I promise."

Snow Leopard said nothing but it was a good thing she did not display her emotions because an unexpected hatred rose up insider her, writhing like a cobra at the last two words her leader had spoken. His earlier admission of fear – fear for her! – was lost in the face of her sudden rage which she carefully kept hidden behind soft eyes and unmoving whiskers.

She hated promises but she had no idea why.

-:-

Please review.


	5. Chapter 5: Night Out

**Author's Note:** Sorry it's late again, guys. I've been having trouble figuring out where and how I want this to go. Your reward for your patience is a nice, long chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 5: Night Out

Blood samples took days to get results and while Donatello wasn't an impatient turtle by anyone's definition, he didn't like waiting for results which could have such dire consequences on his family's existence. So Don did as Don had always done: he sought out all possible information which basically meant hacking the Foot's database for any files they might have kept of their…newest recruits.

It took barely twenty minutes for him to find a library of files: behavioral reports, psych evaluations, physical exams that went back four years and were a monthly occurrence (and there were five cats; it was a good thing he was good at math and a fast reader), and endless hours of footage. Watching the videos was frightening because even sitting in his chair, some miles from Foot Headquarters and thus the cats, shivers ran up and down the inside of his carapace at how they _moved_. Like predators.

Facing off against the White Tiger at the docks had been frightening enough but watching the five move with such ease and grace and lethality together as a unit was downright terrifying.

Over the next two days, the footage revealed more than the files did, and he was both surprised and disturbed by the concept of a hierarchy within the group. Lion (there were no other names for them in the files except the capitalised version of their species) was the leader and Snow Leopard his second-in-command which was odd because Don would have pegged massive White Tiger or even lithe Jaguar as his second but…it was no small wonder why it wasn't anyone other than Snow Leopard. She was smart, like street-smart but also book-smart. It was clear she was the pack's (their word, not Don's) wildcard. She was unpredictable in a way that reminded Don a lot of Leo with a good mix of Mikey thrown in. Calm and collected while in the presence of her mistress (who was Karai, curse that woman to Hades' pits), she was a bubble of energy around her packmates, especially Lynx with whom she was best friends. White Tiger was the main muscle in the group and a bit of a hothead, like Raph, but he had his moments of fun with the others and seemed to enjoy the common comradery. Jaguar was the quietest of the group but by no means did that make him weak, and he delivered more than his fair share of blows during Karai's screwy idea of training sessions. Lynx was the only other female and balanced the testosterone easily with Snow Leopard. The two of them together was like watching school girls: whispers in the other's ear, giggles and lazy lounging that often turned into harmless cuddling. But Donnie knew Lynx was a formidable fighter, as skilled and adept as the rest of the strange pack.

"How's it going?" a soft voice asked behind him.

"EEEEEEYYYYAAAA!" Don screeched, whipping around and almost back-handing Leo who managed to dodge in time. "Don't _do_ that!"

"Sorry," his brother said, a smile tugging at his mouth. "I did knock but you didn't hear me. What are you working on?"

"Research." Don sat back in his chair and pointed to the screen. "They're called the Elite Five and they're Karai's personal bodyguard."

"Because her dad's got his Elite and she wanted her own?" Leo said – spat, more like. "Sounds about right."

"Yeah, but there's something strange with these five," said Donnie. "I can't quite put my finger on it but…"

"Maybe you should take a break?" Leo swivelled the chair around so Don faced away from the computer. "Come on. Mikey's made ramen with pork."

"Coming, coming." Don hefted himself out of his chair and followed his brother out towards the kitchen. "How are your shoulders?"

"Fine" was the monosyllabic reply that was standard from the blue-banded leader.

Don stepped closer. "No new blood," he observed. "That's good."

"I told you, they're fine," Leo said with a smirk. "They'll be good as new by the end of next week, just as you said."

"As long as you don't strain yourself," Don added firmly. His elder brother was notorious for getting back into training early after an injury and thus further injuring himself.

"As long as I don't strain myself," agreed Leo with a roll of his eyes.

"I mean it, Leo. These cats are bad news and we need to be in top condition if we're to do anything about them. That means we need you to heal."

"Okay, okay, I get it." Leo exhaled harshly.

"Good."

Raph looked up from his spot at the table as they entered and smirked. "Don given' ya a hard time again, Fearless?"

"Stuff it, Raphie," Leo bit out.

"Food's up!" Mikey crowed before the argument could escalate into a wrestling match. "Raphie, go get Sensei!"

"Stop callin' me Raphie!" the hothead snarled even as he obeyed, stomping out the door.

Don watched Mikey grin at their eldest brother and wink conspiratorially. "You know you're going to make him explode one of these days, right?" the genius commented idly.

"We know." Mikey beamed and Leo snickered quietly. "But it'll be fun while it lasts."

"You're terrible."

"We know that, too. No, Leo, don't touch anything," added the orange-masked turtle when Leo winced while opening the cupboard for plates. "Just go sit down."

Raph returned with Splinter and the meal was underway within minutes.

"So what have you found out about the Foot's new pets, Don?" Leo asked suddenly, cutting into the half-volume bickering between Raph and Mikey. "Aside from what you've told me."

"Wait, what? What did Donnie tell you?" Mikey jumped in.

Don finished chewing and cleared his throat. "Okay. So in short the five cats are successful scientific experiments and now serve Karai as her elite bodyguards. I'm still not sure about the hows of the experiment but it's safe to say that a mutagen was used. That and it all went down here in New York four years ago. The animals were then smuggled out of the country to Japan where they spent the first years of their lives training under Karai. According to the files, Karai arrived in New York first and then sent for her guard not too long ago. They're exceptionally trained in ninjutsu and coupled with their predatory instincts, they make a formidable force."

"Have the results from the blood sample come through yet, my son?" asked Splinter, his black eyes narrowed.

"Not yet but they should be done within the next couple of days. I've hacked into the Foot's systems so I have full access to their files and surveillance footage, though I can't get into the live feed without tripping an alarm.

"They're different from Shredder's guard, though, and that's kind of what freaks me out." Don duly noted Leo's sudden rigidity and Raph, sitting on their leader's right, rested his left arm on the table, almost brushing with Leo's wrist.

"How so?" Mikey wondered, his eyes round in his face.

"There's an actual hierarchy within the group. My guess is that Karai had created them to operate as her guard but also as a strike team of sorts."

"Wait, wait, bro," Raph interrupted. "Are ya tellin' me that these animals can _think_?"

Donnie nodded solemnly. "Think and speak and act as intelligently as an average human, yes."

"We need ta take 'em out then." Raph leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "Mutants like that workin' fer the Shredder? Can there be anythin' worse?"

"They're innocent lab experiments," Don shot back a little more heatedly than he'd intended. "They didn't choose this."

A muscle jumped in the hothead's cheek as he said, "Their choice or not, we should deal with 'em how we deal with every other Foot ninja."

Before Don could open his mouth to retort, Splinter spoke, low and calm: "Are you really so calloused, my son, that you would seek to end the lives of these creatures of which we still know very little? What if they're being controlled against their will? Does that not make it our duty to find out and to help them if such is the case?"

A dark blush was barely visible beneath the emerald-green skin as Raph dropped his head, properly shamed. "Sorry, Sensei," he murmured.

"I understand your concern, Raphael," said the old rat. "These creatures are new and they side with our enemies but perhaps we should wait for Donatello's blood results and conduct our own observations before we make a decision?"

"That sounds fair," Don put in.

"Recon missions," Leo added, his eyes hardening with determination. "We should start soon, find out all we can about these cats."

"Um, not to be a worry-wart or anything," stuttered Mikey, "but…they're cats. And we're turtles. We're kind of a lot lower on the food chain than they are."

"You say it like I don't know." Leo raised a hand to his white-wrapped shoulders and everyone stiffened. "But we have surprise on our side. They won't be expecting us to shadow them and it's not like we'll be attacking. We won't even get close enough for that. We can't afford to get close."

No, they could not. The cats were bigger, faster and stronger. They had close-combat weapons like teeth and claws – even their limbs and tails could be used like a staff or a baseball bat – and that wasn't counting their abilities to jump and leap. They also had superior senses like vision, hearing and smell. If they did plan on a recon mission then they would have to dig deep into their souls and haul to the surface the very essence of the ninja: stealth.

Glancing at Mikey who had a hard time with stealth on a good day, and Raph who much rather preferred to attack head-on, Donnie sighed and looked back to his elder brother. Leo was already watching him and he shook his head.

What did that mean?

"We need this information as soon as possible, Don," their leader said smoothly, "and you said my shoulders need at least another week. We can't wait so you're taking the lead on this."

"He's WHAT?!" Raph shrieked.

"But Leo!" protested Mikey.

"No buts!" Leo snapped, his navy eyes unwavering. "Don knows what to look for and if you run into trouble, I'd only slow us down. This is what's happening so don't bother whining. You start tonight."

Donnie really needed a minute to process this but there was no time; he nodded. "All right, Leo."

-:-:-:-

As soon as she took the opening, Snow Leopard knew she'd made a mistake. Jaguar, her opponent, kicked her hard and she found herself flying backward. Only a quick twist in midair landed her on all fours instead of face-planting into the mat but, oh, her chest hurt. That was one, solid kick from her packmate and lying down now sounded like a really good idea.

Jaguar, however, rushed over and helped her sit up. "Are you all right? I didn't think you'd take the bait. You're usually too good. What happened? Are you all right?" He said all this in a rush that made it halfway through Snow Leopard's aching head before getting lost.

"Huh?"

Jaguar blinked at the far-from-eloquent response. "Are. You. All. Right?" he asked.

"Fine," she replied. "Nice kick."

"Clearly you're not fine if you're complimenting me on kicking you across the dojo," her packmate retorted, his yellow eyes narrowed.

"Snow!" Lunging across the large room, came Lion, his shoulder fur up and his lips pulled back just a fraction over his teeth. "Jaguar, what did you do?"

"He bested me, Lion. Relax," said Snow Leopard, getting to her feet.

Lion stared at her, amber eyes wide and unblinking. "He…bested…you?"

Snow Leopard looked away, not meeting the two males' intense gazes. "I'm not unbeatable, you know, and Jaguar is doing very well. Excuse me. I'm going to my room."

No one stopped her and she felt those eyes follow her all the way out the door.

Her room was nowhere near the size and luxury of Mistress's quarters. With a concrete floor and concrete walls, it was perpetually cool which suited her just fine but she did miss the smooth wooden floors of her Japanese home. The door was metal and could be locked from both the inside and the outside, though Mistress discouraged her Elite of locking themselves in their rooms. There was no dresser or closet because a human supplied them with fresh uniforms folded just outside the door every morning, and there was no mirror. Her sleeping arrangements were a nest of thin blankets on the floor in the corner with a pillow somewhere in the mess, and it was to there she headed, falling into the fabric. Tugging and pulling the corners around her, she curled up into a ball, her long tail wrapped over her nose and tried, _tried_ to sleep.

Her restless brain wouldn't allow it, displaying colours, shapes and strange places and people across her closed eyelids, voices rebounding.

 _"Leo!"_

 _"Daddy!"_

 _Yellow on green with blue overhead and something soft beneath her bare feet which felt strange because she had always been barefooted but her feet were also…different?_

 _A surge of darkness, white revealed in a gaping abyss._

 _"Daddy! Daddy!"_

Snow Leopard squeezed her eyes more tightly shut. _Go away, go away._

 _White closed around her right arm which also looked strange because it had no fur and was…white? Was that skin?_

 _Red spurted, dyeing both whites, and someone screamed. Someone wouldn't stop screaming._

"Snow! For Fate's sake, Snow, wake up!"

Snow Leopard jerked awake and instinctively scrambled away from whatever was close.

Not whatever, she realised. Whoever.

Lion.

Her face was wet, she noticed in the next instant, and she lifted a hand to wipe away the tears. Her throat hurt as if she'd been trying not to scream…or had been screaming.

Lion stayed where he was on the opposite side of the nest, his hands out in placation. "Snow," he said gently. "Snow?"

A couple stray tears trickled down Snow Leopard's furry cheeks and she hesitated for a long moment before crawling into his arms.

"It was so real," she whispered. "It felt so real."

"It wasn't," he soothed, running his fingers over her head and ears. "It wasn't. The nightmare's gone. You're safe. You're always safe."

She leaned her head against his chest and listened to his pounding heart begin to quiet. Guilt ripped through her. "I'm sorry for scaring you."

Those strong arms tightened around her. "We heard you screaming."

"We?" She pulled back a little and peeked over his shoulder and there they were. Her entire pack stood in the doorway, though Lynx was more than halfway into the room, her whiskers trembling and her eyes round.

Snow Leopard tried to smile at them but she could feel the tremulousness of it and it didn't help that another tear leaked out.

Lynx took that as an invitation because she scampered to her and knelt beside Lion to hug her, Lion courteously edging away. Snow Leopard buried her face in her best friend's neck and did her best to keep back the sobs; she partially succeeded and felt two more warm bodies around her as Jaguar and White Tiger pressed close, wordlessly offering their own support.

"Thank you," she managed to say after a minute or three, sitting up and wiping her face.

"Of course, sister," Lynx replied, her tone shaking a fraction. "We're here for you. We're always right here for you."

While Jaguar and White Tiger nodded agreement, Lion quietly cleared his throat. "I will speak with Mistress to allow you and Lynx a night out," he said. "You two used to go running all the time back in Japan and I know you haven't had the opportunity since we left. Perhaps some strenuous exercise will fend off the nightmares."

"That would be wonderful, Lion," Snow Leopard replied, managing (at last) a smile. "Thank you."

-:-:-:-

It was as soon as the sun had disappeared behind the skyline that Snow Leopard and Lynx left Foot Headquarters with all the exuberance of small children: they raced away from Saki Tower and took to the roofs, chasing the wind that blew their fur and clothes flat. The western sky was still palely inky with the last bits of sunshine and the clouds were turning orange with the city's night life. Snow Leopard breathed it all in, tasting vehicle fumes, human musk and brine, and kept running, leading Lynx over New York to where she did not know. It was wonderful to just run as they had back in Japan with nothing but each other and the night.

"Isn't this wonderful, Snow Leopard?" Lynx cried as she pulled a double somersault in midair before landing perfectly.

Snow Leopard laughed. "You took the words right out of my mouth!"

"Where do you want to go tonight? We've never explored this city on our own."

"Let's follow the wind" was the carefree reply which made Lynx laugh.

"When have we done differently?" she asked, her grey-amber eyes bright.

Snow Leopard didn't answer verbally but her smile spoke volumes, and she took the lead with Lynx just a step behind on her right.

The two cats continued to run, jumping alleys and using the streetlamps to swing across narrow streets. Snow Leopard didn't want to stop moving. Her heart thrummed, her blood sang and her soul rose higher with each step. Her long tail streamed behind her, her short but powerful legs pushing her onward. Houses and shops, apartments and warehouses blurred beneath her feet, passing her by as she overtook each one with her sister at her side. There was so much to see, so much to smell. It was an assault on the senses but she was not overwhelmed. She sifted through everything, labelling each place and person and oooh, hotdog.

What _was_ a hotdog?

Surely, she'd never had one before in her life, hadn't even known they existed… But then how did she know that a hotdog was a meat sausage wrapped in a bun with ketchup, mustard and cheese which were her three favourite things to put on it?

She slowed to a stop and peered over the shop's eave. Lynx halted beside her, sniffing the air.

"Mmmh!" she moaned. "Something smells good!"

"Hotdogs," Snow Leopard supplied automatically and pointed down at the little stand across the street. A squat, black man with a tooth missing in his grin called out to passersby: "Hot and fresh! Get 'em while they last! Hotdogs! Get yer hotdogs here!"

More than one human stopped at the vendor, exchanging coins for food. Several even conducted conversation with him, commenting on the lovely day that had ended and the beautiful night that had barely begun. It was a popular topic for those who stopped to chat.

The whole scene looked…familiar. Maybe 'felt' was a better word. It was the smell of hotdogs mixed with the freshness of nearby grass or maybe it was the quiet rumble of vehicles on this quieter street where it was outweighed by the foot traffic and bicycles or maybe it was how the surrounding buildings were laid out: tall, short, short, tall, taller, short, shorter and tall. It was like trying to remember a memory from a dream…

Snow Leopard turned her head to the right. Just past the edifices, she could make out a large and dimly lit area with trees, and a distinct pull almost yanked her off her rooftop towards the place. She refrained from acting so rashly, however, and instead slowly tugged on Lynx's sleeve and pointed. "That looks interesting."

Lynx frowned at the dark treeline and shrugged. "I'll follow you," she acquiesced.

Snow Leopard followed the pull, staying on the roofs until the roofs ran out and then keeping to the shadows when they took to the ground. The trees were large here, sweeping over their heads in arches and canopies that were a myriad of oranges, reds and yellows; and the grass was beginning to brown. She led the way through the park, following the strange nostalgia that had her firmly by the heart, until the pair came upon…

"What is this place?" Lynx asked, her voice pitched low as she glanced about for humans.

Snow Leopard's reply was as automatic as her previous hotdogs statement: "It's a human playground. Children play here to develop physical and social skills."

"It looks like the jungle gym back home," her friend observed, giving her a funny look and probably wondering how she knew this.

Snow Leopard cast her packmate a sidelong smile, ignoring the look. "It does, doesn't it? Come on."

Lynx immediately balked. "Wait, go there? Are you serious? We'll get caught!"

Snow Leopard stepped close and rubbed against her friend's shoulder, purring. "No, we won't," she soothed. "We are ninja, after all. We do know how to disappear."

Lynx pouted but gave in as the silver cat knew she would. "Fine. But we can't stay long."

Snow Leopard chuckled. "Lynx, my dear sister, by the time we have to go, you won't want to leave!"

-:-:-:-

The two chased each other around the jungle gym and Snow Leopard showed Lynx the flying fox and the slides.

"How do you know this?" Lynx asked over and over, and Snow Leopard just shrugged and replied, "I don't know" because she didn't want to say that it was all too familiar for her.

They tried out the teeter-totter and as they went up and down, up and down, up and down, Snow Leopard thought of a song which she sang out loud:

"Teeter-totter, fish in water

Going for a swim

Teeter-totter, fish in water

Lynx is jumping in.

Swim, swim as fast as you can

In the ocean blue.

Swim, swim as fast as you can

'Cause _sharks_ are following you!" [1]

On the word 'sharks' Snow Leopard jarred her end of the apparatus and startled Lynx who squealed and clung to the handle.

"That's not funny!" Lynx shot at her, though she was smiling.

"Of course it was!" the spotted cat replied loftily. "Your turn! Repeat after me: Teeter-totter, fish in water…"

So Snow Leopard taught Lynx the song and they went back and forth, singing and scaring each other and it wasn't too long later that Lynx asked again "How do you know this?"

A faint image of a smiling woman with short, brown hair and a kind smile danced through Snow Leopard's mind but the image (memory?) was gone too quickly and so she smiled and with a shrug said, "I don't know. But it's fun, isn't it?"

"Humans get such great stuff!" Lynx agreed. "Hey, what's that?" she wondered, pointing to some bars, chains and rubber.

Snow Leopard beamed and let her friend down so she could get off. "Let me show you."

"It's a swing set," she explained, gesturing to the structure. "Sit here. Put your hands here and hold on." When Lynx was ready and her grip was adequate, Snow Leopard gently pushed her friend forward.

"I don't understand how this is supposed to be fun," said Lynx.

"That's because you're not high enough" was the firm retort, and she pushed her a little harder, gaining momentum.

"Oh!" her friend exclaimed as the rushing air began to tug at her fur and clothes. Her tufted ears pricked up and her whiskers fluttered, and as she went higher, she started to giggle which quickly turned into joyous laughter.

Snow Leopard grinned because when was the last time her sister had laughed so freely? Giving her a final push, she jumped around to the other swing and called, "Watch how I do it! Pump your legs and pull back on the chains. Use your momentum to create more momentum. That's it! We're doing it! We're swinging!"

Lynx laughed louder and Snow Leopard joined in. "We're swinging, we're swinging!" they cried in unison and they laughed and went higher, higher, and Snow Leopard felt as if she could simply let go of the chains and fly away.

Yet somehow, somewhere deep in her gut, she knew releasing the chains was a bad idea.

-:-:-:-

It came out of nowhere and froze all three turtles as they were about to jump across an alley that was near a small park: the laughter of children at play.

Mikey cocked his head. "It's coming from the park," he said.

Don shifted his weight while Raph scowled and groused, "What're kids doin' out this late? It's almost one in the mornin'!"

"Maybe we should check it out?" Mikey offered, his brow low over his blue eyes. "I mean, if we can hear the kids then other not-so-nice guys can hear them, too."

"Don?" Raph turned to Donnie who still hadn't moved.

Despite the fact that none of them had interacted with human children, Don knew something was off. To his well-trained ear-slits, the laughter sounded like that of older kids – teenagers, maybe? Children tended to scream a lot more when they were laughing and playing but this didn't sound like that. This sounded like care-freeness of the heavily burdened. This did not sound like small children and if that was the case, then why bother investigating?

He knew the answer even as it came in Leo's soft voice of reason and honour: because even teenagers needed protection once in a while.

"Don?" Raph repeated.

"I heard you the first time, Raph," replied the genius. "I was just thinking."

"Well stop thinkin' and make a decision!"

Donatello fixed his younger brother with a stare. "I have. Let's check it out but we stay out of sight, got it?"

Mikey nodded while Raph rolled his eyes. Nevertheless, the two followed Don into the shadows of the park.

They couldn't have been more than two hundred yards away when the wind shifted direction slightly and blew towards them. Don immediately halted at the scent it brought: sweat, fur, a hint of blood (from a recent meal, no doubt) and the unmistakable musk of a predator.

Everything in his brain and gut screamed, _Flee, flee, flee!_ But his curiosity overpowered his urge to run and he beckoned his brothers forward, though he knew they also smelled it, from their suddenly-narrowed eyes and stiff shoulders.

"Donnie?" Mikey whispered.

Don didn't answer but held a finger to his beak. They didn't know how good their hearing was and they certainly didn't want to find out when they were one down and had no idea how many enemies there were…

There were two. Only two. The females, Snow Leopard and Lynx. Hiding in the trees' shadows, Don looked out on a scene he would never even hope to see: the two females sat on a swing set and were swinging and laughing. Their black Foot uniforms hid most of their bodies from view but the dim light reflected off their eyes and illuminated their fur. Lynx was a dark brown in the night, the tufts on her ears invisible, and her short tail swept back and forth in clear contentment. Snow Leopard, on the other hand, was a spotlight in the dark with her silver fur, her long tail streaming behind her as she swung back and forth. The pair laughed aloud, as if they'd never set rump on a swing before. Childlike joy reverberated through the still park and Don was entranced, his eyes following their movements.

A tiny spark of thought wiggled its way to centre stage in his brain and the more he thought about it, the larger that spark became until it bloomed into a raging fire, sweeping away all other hypotheses.

It would be impossible to know for sure until the blood results came through but…if it was true then it would open up a whole crate of worms and that was something Don really didn't want to happen.

Without warning, Snow Leopard slammed her feet into the packed earth, grinding to a halt. Don felt his brothers stiffen as she lifted her muzzle and sniffed.

"Lynx," they heard her warn. It was all she said and within the space of an eye blink, the two cats were off the swings and running – but not towards them, no. They ran away, disappearing like trained ninja into the night.

"Go," Don ordered quietly. He didn't want to think about the fact that predators rarely ran from prey. Maybe they were circling around to cut them off? "Guys, go! We need to go!"

Raph and Mikey turned too slowly for his liking and he pinched their arms, startling them out of their shock.

"Start running," he commanded, ignoring their pained hisses. "We don't want them circling around."

That brought all their senses to the foreground and they obeyed without protest. Keeping his eyes on their surroundings, Don led his brothers homeward and hoped with all his heart that the blood results debunked his hypothesis.

-:-

[1] This song is one from my childhood that my mother made up. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to incorporate it when the girls were playing.

Please review.


	6. Chapter 6: The Crate of Worms

**Guest:** I don't blame Raph for his point of view either. His stems from uncertainty about this new 'threat' and his loyalty to his family. We'll see a bit more of this soon and later. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** I'm thrilled you're liking it. I'm doing my best to update "Flash" regularly but it and "The Fifth Mutant" have been giving me some trouble, besides the fact I've had very little time to write this week. Thank you for reviewing!

 **lizzybudd:** I already messaged you my thanks for your comments but I'll thank you again. Hope you're having fun on your holiday! :D

 **Author's Note:** We will see a bit more of Snow Leopard remembering bits of her former life and as such, there will be mild changes of perspective dotting upcoming chapters, so if you find any 'I' or 'me' throughout Snow Leopard's third-person narrative, don't worry; it's done on purpose.

 _Chapter 6: The Crate of Worms  
_

Standing in his lab the next evening, with the papers his printer had just spat out, Donatello could not stop his hands from trembling. In all his years, he never would have thought that…that Shredder would… Maybe Karai…? Did Bishop help? Unlikely but still…so many variables…

His suspicion was confirmed. The crate of worms was opened.

He had to tell the family.

Donnie was hardly one for panic – his cool intellect didn't allow it – so he was collected and calm as he walked from his lab to the kitchen where he could smell the beginnings of dinner. To his surprise, the family was gathered and conversing: Leo and Sensei were in a deep, philosophical discussion in Japanese while Raph poked at Mikey who was at the stove and frying chicken and noodles.

Halting in the doorway, he gazed about at the serene familiarity, knowing he was about to blow it to bits. This was a serious threat, after all.

Sensei noticed him first and beckoned him in. "Donatello, my son. Raphael was about to get you for dinner." There was a moment's pause while his father regarded him with scrutiny and continued, "Is something wrong?"

All heads turned to him. Don cleared his throat and entered, coming to a stop just beside Leo's chair on his right. "Yes, Sensei. Something is very wrong. The results from the cat's blood sample came through and they're, well, unsettling is not strong enough of a term…"

"Whaddya mean, Don?" Raph asked, his amber eyes narrowed with unease.

"Well, um, the cats…they're, well, they're mutants."

"We could have told you that!" Mikey exclaimed from his place by the stove. "Geez, Donnie, they're freaking predators walking on their hind legs! Of course they're mutants!"

"They were human first."

Silence.

Don could hear everyone in the kitchen breathe and was fairly sure he heard Leo's heartrate spike in tempo.

"Human." Leo didn't say it as a question and Donnie nodded. "They were human."

He nodded again. "The scans found traces of some kind of DNA…enhancer. Like the TCRI ooze that mutated us but this one's _meaner_. The transformations those five humans underwent – and, yes, I'm sure all five cats were human – would have been painful beyond comprehension. It attacks everything in the body, from brain tissue to muscle and bone structure to skin cells and it does it all at once. The mutation would have been over in minutes but the sheer agony it invokes…I'm surprised they're alive at all."

"What can you tell us of the mutant whose sample you analysed?" Sensei asked.

Donnie inhaled deeply, not wanting to tell but it was vital information. "The snow leopard is female but we knew that already from Mikey and the files I filched from the Foot, and she's…young. Like our age young. She's in her late teens at most."

"What kid would wanna do that to themselves?" wondered Raph, disgust and dismay in his tone.

Leo spoke softly in reply, "I don't think they volunteered, Raph. This is the Foot we're talking about. Chances are they snatched these people off the streets where there's a lower risk of anyone noticing them going missing. There's more than enough youth on the streets nowadays and that's also not counting if the Foot didn't go out of state to throw off any possible trail they might leave."

"Okay, okay, so they're mutants that were human. What are we going to do about it?" Mikey's eyes were round in his face, glancing around at his older brothers.

Don took a deep breath and said, "I have an idea."

"We're all ears, Donnie," Leo encouraged.

"When we encountered the two females last night at the park, I suspected they might have been human so…I think we should work with that."

"Work with what, my son? I'm not following you." Splinter watched him through narrowed, black eyes.

"I want to see if they remember being human."

"What if they don't?" demanded Raph.

Don met his amber gaze squarely. "What if they do?" he countered. "What if they do remember being human but the memories are so fuzzy that they can't really remember at all? If they knew completely then they'd know what Shredder or Karai or whoever did to them. I suspect intense brainwashing was used before they were mutated – it would explain their loyalty and obedience, as well as their intact personalities. Karai didn't want mindless followers and that's obvious that that's not what they are."

"That's not enough evidence, Don," Raph began.

"The snow leopard hesitated," Mikey whispered, interrupting and garnering intense gazes from everyone in the kitchen. "She could have killed me but she didn't. I always wondered why."

"Maybe she thought that what she was doing was wrong?" Leo offered. "I mean, what teenaged girl kills for a living?"

"He's got a point," Don told Raph who scowled.

"Fine then, Great Genius. How're ya gonna figure out if they remember bein' human or not?"

"That's easy. I'm going to talk to one."

Silence. Again.

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!" Raph shouted.

"You're going to get yourself killed, Donnie!" Leo said firmly.

"Dude, are you insane?" demanded Mikey.

Don leaned his weight back onto his right foot and crossed his arms over his chest. At least Splinter was quiet, that was a bonus. Maybe. "Are you guys finished?" he asked scathingly.

His tone shut them up for once and he took the opportunity to plow ahead. "Look, I know it's not the best idea ("Damn right, it's not!" Raph snarled) but it's our only option. We can't figure this out by observing them. I need to talk to one. We know they're capable of speech and thought so it shouldn't be too hard."

"Yer right. The hard part is not gettin' yer head ripped off!" Raph bit out. "They're animals, Don –"

"I would like to point out that _we_ are not exempt from that category, Raphael," Sensei put in solemnly. "Donatello, do you have any solid evidence that they will not attack should you attempt conversation?"

Don shifted for a second, playing with the papers in his hands. "Well, no, but, Sensei, you always tell us to trust ourselves. This is me trusting myself. I'll try to single one out so I won't be up against all five. And I actually have a target in mind already."

"The snow leopard," Mikey murmured. "She's the most obvious choice."

Donnie nodded. "She already shows signs of humanity. She was at the park last night. I'm hoping she'll return."

Raph rolled his eyes. "And what if she doesn't?"

"Then I'll figure something else out. Like I always do."

He looked back to Sensei and tried to look firm. At last, the old rat nodded. "I take it you will be undertaking this alone?"

"Yes, Sensei. She'll spook otherwise."

Black eyes met his brown ones without flinching. "Then I must trust you."

-:-:-:-

Snow Leopard and Lynx had sworn to never tell that they'd run from the turtle threat because both knew that their excuse of "They took us by surprise" would not have gone over well with neither Mistress nor Father of Mistress. They would have asked questions about their whereabouts and both females were subconsciously aware that a human playground should not have been a destination for beings such as themselves. They had stuck to their story of jumping roofs across Brooklyn and Queens before finally returning to the Tower for the night, slightly out of breath from hard exercise. Mistress never pursued the matter and neither did Lion who had waited for them.

And that night, Snow Leopard's nightmares had bettered. Slightly.

White and red haunted her dreams still but a tender voice singing the teeter-totter song soothed the initial terror, and just before she woke at the end of every night, kind brown eyes she was sure she had never seen before smiled at her. She endured a week of them until at last she caught Lion's arm after training.

Peering up into his golden eyes, she asked quietly, "May I ask that you request of Mistress for me to go out again?"

Lion looked down at her somewhat sharply. "By yourself?"

She nodded, breaking eye contact. "I enjoy Lynx's company greatly but I'd like to go farther than we did last week and I don't think she'd want to."

"Then take Jaguar with you. He has endurance to spare."

As much as she loved her brother, Snow Leopard pulled a face and made her leader chuckle. "Lion, please?"

He regarded her for a long moment before saying softly, "The nightmares again?"

Snow Leopard turned her head away and was surprised when he took her chin and turned her face back to his.

"It is not anything to be ashamed of," he told her gently.

Tears pricked her eyes but she held them back. "It is everything to be ashamed of. I am a servant to the greatest ninja clan this world has ever seen. I should not have to…" She trailed off and then rallied, her tone bitter. "This shouldn't be happening, not to me. Running just seems to ease them but they don't go away."

"Perhaps you haven't run far enough then." Lion smiled at her and released her jaw. "Just go. I will inform Mistress that I made my own decision."

"You'd do that?" Snow Leopard blinked up at him, the breath caught in her chest.

He leaned forward and brushed whiskers with her. "I am leader of this pack, after all," he answered with a rumbling purr.

She felt her heart lift at his words and she nuzzled him. "Thank you, my brother," she whispered.

-:-:-:-

"Going out again?"

Don turned around when Leo ventured his question, materialising out of the shadows by the front door. With the white bandaging around his shoulders gone, he was harder to spot in the dark corners of the lair which was why Donnie hadn't noticed him until he spoke.

"Yeah," he answered. "I'll be back by the usual time."

Leo's navy eyes were filled with concern as he said, "It's been a week, Don. Are you sure about this?"

"I've got to try, Leo. You know me." He attempted a smile which must have worked because his elder brother shook his head, also smiling.

"You and your experiments," he muttered. "Be careful."

It was an order and Don knew his brother well enough to see it as one. He knew that this last week's excursions had been brutal for his family, keeping them behind and forbidding them from following, lest they frighten his intended quarry. "I don't suppose I can tell you to not wait up?"

"It would be futile," Leo deadpanned.

"A turtle can hope," he replied.

Leo chuckled and waved him out the door. "Good luck, Donnie."

Don nodded his thanks and the door clanged shut after him.

-:-:-:-

Snow Leopard wandered across the roofs for an hour before she realised that her feet were leading her to the park she and Lynx had visited last week. It wouldn't be as fun without her sister but…she could at least swing.

She was a silver ghost amongst the trees, bee-lining her way through the lightly wooded area. The grass was cool against her feet with the coming winter and her breath misted slightly in the air but she didn't care, her thoughts consumed, and at last she arrived at the playground…

Someone was here!

She vanished behind a tree and poked her head out slowly, sniffing the chilled air. Her whiskers trembled as she picked up the familiar scent of the turtle threat and her keen eyes spotted him. There, sitting on one of the swings, was the purple-masked turtle.

Within the first two seconds, she contemplated fleeing but quickly squashed the feeling when she realised that she could neither smell nor see anyone else nearby; he was alone. The next six seconds consisted of a battle of wills to either kill him quickly or render him unconscious and drag him back for Mistress. It occurred to her that he probably didn't know she was here and thus made either option favourable. During the next seven seconds, she wondered what he was doing here alone and at a location where he knew she had frequented recently.

Was he…waiting for her?

Impossible.

Unlikely.

"Hello."

Snow Leopard startled, every muscle in her body tensing, as the turtle lifted his head and smiled right at her.

"Hello," he repeated. "I was hoping to find you here. Though," he added thoughtfully, "I think it's you who found me."

A thousand questions bubbled up into her mouth – Why was he waiting for her? How did he know she'd be here? Why wasn't he attacking her? Where were his brothers? Why was he alone? Why was he just sitting there and smiling? Did he know something she didn't? Would tell her? What did he mean by 'hello'? – but he was not of her pack and so she kept her muzzle shut.

"I'm sorry that we ruined your fun the other night," he said, still sitting on the swing and making no obvious move to hurt her. "We didn't really know it was you until we saw you. We were concerned that you were kids out late."

Why would he care that human children were out late? What did the humans mean to him? Was there some kind of agreement between them, like the Elite Five and Mistress?

He continued on, still smiling, still unmoving, and it occurred to me that he was a chatterbox.

What did that term mean? How did she know it?

"Imagine our surprise when we saw you!" He chuckled, as if it were a fond memory. "It's nice to know that Karai doesn't control you completely."

That sparked anger in her. "We are honoured to serve Mistress," she said in a low, clear voice.

The turtle immediately backpedalled. "Of course. I'm sure you feel that way," he assured. "I only meant that I'm glad you're not mindless followers. You are your own. It's nice to see that."

There was nothing else to say (notwithstanding the plethora of new questions) except "Oh."

The turtle rubbed the back of his neck and stood. Snow Leopard hid behind her tree.

"I'm just standing up," he called in a soothing tone. "I'll stay over here. Don't worry."

Peeking around the trunk, she saw him stretch – had he been sitting for a while? Didn't that mean he had been waiting for her for a while? – but she unsheathed her claws anyway, just in case.

Silence fell between them and she shifted under his calm gaze. Why was he staring at her?

Not at her, she realised. Not in the eye, just in her direction. Eye contact would have meant a challenge and, as a predator, she instinctually would have risen to meet it. But he was not an idiot and he kept an eye on her in case she made any movements. This was one, smart turtle.

"I'm alone, you know," he said calmly. "There's no need to be afraid."

"I am not afraid of you," she declared, stepping around her tree at last. She flashed him her claws and he stiffened.

"Are you going to kill me?" he asked.

A question. He had asked her a question. She answered truthfully, "No."

He seemed a little surprised at that. "Are you going to drag me back to Shredder and Karai?"

Snow Leopard bit the inside her cheek. Another question. "I'm thinking about it," she replied.

"Why aren't you doing it?"

He really needed to stop asking questions! But she was bound to answer honestly: "I don't know." Then, because she instantly thought of a reason: "I have no orders to do so."

That surprised him even more; he blinked and all he said was "Oh." There was a short pause and then he added, "Thanks."

She shrugged and inched forward slightly. The scents coming off him were fascinating. Swirling through the air, they filtered through her nostrils and fired labels into her brain: metal, engine oil, sweat, wood (from the bō he carried) and…was that…sewage?

Mistress had said her enemies lived in the sewers below the city. At the time, she had thought it disgusting but now she found the scent alluring. There was so much that was new about him: his physique, his skills, his weapon, his hands, his eyes – which were suddenly a lot closer than she remembered them being.

She scrambled to a halt, her tail lashing, her nostrils flaring and her eyes narrowing as she found herself only ten feet away from the turtle threat. She had neared without even realising it, now within striking distance. But he didn't move.

Well, he did, but he only sat back down on the swing. He pushed at the ground a little, swinging to and fro only a handful of inches. She watched him, her eyes narrowed to slits.

"You don't talk much, do you?" he observed idly. He didn't look at her.

"I speak when spoken to," she responded, "except among my pack."

He kept swinging. "I see. Well, I know I'm not in your pack but you can talk to me if you'd like. You can ask me questions." He smiled a little at that.

Questions? Did that mean he would answer any question she had? She scoffed at herself. Of course not. He wouldn't divulge the location of his hideaway or his plans against Mistress. That was also going against the fact that she couldn't ask questions of anyone outside of her pack.

She lifted her chin. "You are not of my pack."

"Are you not allowed, is that why?" Bitterness wound in his tone and she tensed automatically.

"Yes," she ground out. "That is why."

He frowned, his liquid-brown eyes tightening. "Doesn't that bother you? Not being allowed to ask questions?"

She scowled at him, lifting her lips a fraction back over her teeth. "No. Any requests I have, I pose to Lion who relays them to Mistress. It is organised and stable. It works for us."

"Keeps you in nice, little lines," he added spitefully, looking up and meeting her eyes at last.

She crouched, her hands brushing the ground. "I will not be lectured by my mistress's enemy! You are beneath me in every way, not the least of which is in the natural food chain."

"I guess that's true. Humans are known for eating turtles." He said it calmly which surprised me after his tiny tantrum but what had he just said? Human? Me?

"I am not human." Snow Leopard said it with all possible conviction.

He stared her down, not looking away. "Are you sure? You've never asked so how would you know you never were one?"

She opened and closed her mouth several times, her tongue frozen with the sudden realisation that _she did not know_.

She retreated as she said it, still half-crouched, "I don't know." The words came out in a bare whisper.

The purple-banded turtle nodded. "Then maybe you should find out? That's what I do. I like finding out. I don't like not knowing." He tore his gaze away at last and added, "I'll be here tomorrow night if you want to talk."

With that, he dropped a smoke pellet she hadn't realised he'd been holding and disappeared in a burst of purple smoke.

She turned tail the moment he did and didn't stop running until she reached Saki Tower. Chest heaving, she drooped against the wall.

"Snow Leopard?" Jaguar appeared in the doorway, amber eyes filled with concern. "Sister, are you well?"

Another question. She was tired of answering questions. "No, brother, I am not. I'm going to go to bed. Thank you for waiting up for me," she added as she darted past.

She felt Jaguar watch her go, felt his concern trailing after her like ghosts or nightmares, and did not look back. Falling into her nest in her room, she curled up as tightly as she could. The turtle's words haunted her as much as her bad dreams did: _I don't like not knowing._

To be honest, she didn't like not knowing either.

-:-

Please review.


	7. Chapter 7: Truths and Lies

**prangersturtles:** Oh, yeah. Don totally got to her. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **TMNT-Queen:** Stuff definitely happens! Thank you for reviewing!

 **Author's Note:** Just a reminder, Snow Leopard is remembering more and more of what she was so there will be shifting narratives (third person to first person and back). This is intentional so don't worry. Enjoy! :)

 _Chapter 7: Truths and Lies_

The nightmare was worse that night and for the first time, it was not just blurred flashes of colours, shapes and feelings. It was clear and distinct and all the more terrifying.

 _She stood on a green lawn. A house was behind her (she knew it but didn't look at it). The sun was high and hot in a cerulean sky. She felt…different and looking down at herself, she saw human hands and arms, a human torso that was covered in a shirt and human legs that bore shorts that went down to her scabbed, pale knees. Her human feet were bare on the grass and her little human toes wiggled against the lush grass._

 _Then came the barking and growling which she knew would come but she didn't expect to see a massive, brown dog with gaping white teeth._

 _"Daddy!" The scream burst from her mouth as she raised her right arm to defend her face, as the dog's fangs sank into her skin._

 _Blood seeped around the wound, coating the white teeth and her white skin, and Daddy, help me!_

 _She was dying. It felt like dying. The pain and the blood and the dog shaking her arm even when she fell._

 _Then a much larger shape than the dog came into view – raced and charged into view. She recognised the human man. Tall with dark brown hair and grey eyes, he was strong as he swung a metal baseball bat into the dog's unprotected side. The teeth let go of her arm but the pain was still there and she cried, screaming and sobbing and dying._

 _Strong arms wrapped her up and carried her into the little house which she now saw was yellow with white trim – it was cute and happy-looking and safe._

 _Home?_

 _Home. She was home and safe and in my daddy's arms._

Despite the agony and the terror, Snow Leopard awoke slowly, blinking away the fading images that played behind her eyes. Sitting up in her nest, she very carefully parted the fur on her right arm, just below her elbow. A scar she never knew she had was a punctured line through the flesh. She followed it up over her elbow. Teeth marks had faded throughout the years but they were still there.

The scar from the dog that had attacked me as a child. How old had I been? Six? Seven? Dad had called an ambulance and I'd gotten rabies shots for good measure…

Oh…my…goodness.

The turtle was right.

At some point in my life, I had been…human. I had had a father and, maybe, a mother. Did I have any siblings? Where was my family now?

Who was her family? Was it the pack still and Mistress or was it someone else somewhere else?

She had to find out. One way or another.

Tonight. I would go back tonight. See the turtle who had shown me the truth.

But Mistress had other ideas.

"I want you all to go out tonight," she said after morning training. She stood straight and tall per usual and her green eyes glinted as they met each of ours one by one. Snow Leopard shifted where she sat on her haunches on Lion's right. Lynx, sitting beside her, glanced at her curiously and she stilled. "It is time that you all got to know this city." She smiled at me and I looked down. "You leave after sunset and you may stay out for as long as you like, just as long as you return before dawn. Understood?"

"Yes, Mistress," the five cats chorused.

They stayed where they were until the human left and then Lynx leaped into the air for joy. "This is so exciting!" she gushed. "All of us out and about! This will be so much fun!"

While Snow Leopard just smiled at her (sister?) packmate and nodded, Jaguar came up beside her. "Are you feeling better, Snow Leopard?" he asked quietly, pitching his voice so the others wouldn't hear.

Snow Leopard made herself meet those concerned, yellow eyes. "Yes, brother," she said. "Thank you."

He regarded her solemnly for a long moment and then inched closer. "I know you are closest with Lynx and Lion but you are my sister, too, and I am here if you wish to talk to me."

She opened and closed her mouth several times, caught unawares at this unexpected show of comradery from Jaguar who was sometimes too quiet. She couldn't tell him, though, not about the turtle or the sudden revelation, but she could ask him questions.

"Walk with me?" she requested.

He nodded and they both rose to all fours, exiting the dojo while their remaining siblings conversed about what they would do with such leniency tonight. They strolled down the long and deserted hallways of Saki Tower's third highest floor, their long tails twitching in unison.

"Jaguar," she began slowly, "brother, do you...ever wonder if…we were something…before this?"

Jaguar stared at her for a moment. "Sometimes," he admitted, looking away.

Now it was her turn to stare. "Really?"

He shrugged his black-covered shoulders. "Sure. I mean, as much as I trust Mistress, sometimes I get the feeling that she knows something that we don't."

"Do you ever think that, maybe, we were…I don't know…not this?" She gestured with her hand to their forms.

"Why? Do you?" His yellow eyes were sharp and weighing.

She couldn't tell him. I couldn't tell him. "I don't really know what to think. Were we really created by Mistress? Aren't normal animals born? And if we were normal animals, how'd we get so…not normal?"

"Those are some very serious questions, sister, and I don't think you should be asking them. At least not to me."

"Who then? I can't ask Lion. I don't think he'd understand."

"You can always ask Mistress?"

Snow Leopard slammed to a halt, her entire body rigid. "Mistress?" she echoed. "Jaguar, we're not allowed to ask her questions."

"Sometimes I wonder about that, too," he murmured, looking her right in the eye. "Our hierarchy exists for organisation and balance of control and power but I often can't help but think that it more specifically exists to keep us in line. Like good, little soldiers."

"Like puppets on strings," she whispered. "Jaguar, do you know what this means? This means that our lives are quite possibly one massive lie."

Her brother's voice was quieter than a breath when he said, "It's a frightening thought, isn't it?"

"Frightening? It's…it's wrong! I'm not frightened. I'm angry! What if I was something different before this? What if I was human and I had a family and Mistress took that away from me? What if she took it away from all of us?"

"Now that's a little extreme, don't you think? If we were human, don't you think we'd remember?" Jaguar smirked a little at her, obviously amused at her idea.

Brainwashing.

The word came out of nowhere and Snow Leopard didn't understand it completely but the context was there. Their memories had been erased. Stripped from them like bark off a tree by a hungry deer.

"What if…what if we can't remember?" she said.

Jaguar's expression hardened. "What do you mean?"

Snow Leopard dragged a claw over the smooth tile, her low voice lowering. "What if they did something to us to make us forget?"

The spotted cat stared at her silently and then he said, so quietly, "How are your dreams?"

Her claw froze against the tile. "They're…getting clearer. They used to be fuzzy shapes and colours, feelings, but now…now they're as clear as I see you. Jaguar…I don't think I'm supposed to be having these dreams."

"Why not?" he breathed.

Snow Leopard took a deep breath and threw caution to the winds. This was Jaguar, after all, as good and kind of a sibling to her as Lynx. "Because I think they're memories." With that, she pulled up her haori's sleeve and parted the fur around her right elbow. "I don't remember getting hurt like this but I dream about it."

Jaguar reached out with shaking hands to trace a finger along the scar tissue. "These are teeth marks…from a large dog, I'd say." He looked up at her, curious and scared at the same time. "You were never attacked by a dog."

"But I was," I whispered. "I was just a kid. I think I might have been seven years old."

"Seven…? But we're four years old, Snow Leopard."

"Are you sure?" she asked, meeting his gaze squarely.

He didn't answer and she nodded resolutely. "There is something very wrong going on here, brother," she said. "I intend to find out what it is. I don't like not knowing."

"Are you going to ask Mistress?"

"I don't know. If she's lying to us, how will I know that she won't continue to lie? No, Jaguar, I have to figure this out on my own."

Her brother hesitated for only a second before nuzzling her shoulder, purring. "Not on your own," he told her. "I will help you, as will Lynx, I'm sure."

"I don't want her to worry…" Snow Leopard began but Jaguar cut her off with a gentle nudge on her cheek.

"She would want you to tell her," he soothed.

She frowned when she thought of something. "What about White Tiger and Lion?"

"Lion is too close to Mistress and White Tiger doesn't question his leader. Let them sit this one out for a while. We'll tell them later after we've figured a few things out."

Snow Leopard purred and nuzzled her brother back, giving his right ear a quick wash. "Thank you, Jaguar."

Jaguar smiled at her. "You are my sister, Snow, regardless of what we were."

I flicked him over the back of his head with her long tail. "Since when did you start calling me Snow?" she teased.

The look he gave her was one of superiority. "Since now."

"I'm still ranked higher than you," she retorted.

"Of course you are," he said with a smirk. "Of course, if you want, I can always call you Snowy? Ah! No! Not the whiskers!"

Snow Leopard laughed as he dodged her attack and the two took off down the halls.

-:-:-:-

"We're going to what?" Don demanded.

"Patrol, Donatello." Leo frowned at him. "We need to get back into it. We haven't been topside in almost two weeks – as a team!" he amended quickly when Donnie opened his mouth.

"But I told Snow Leopard I'd be waiting for her at the park," the purple-masked ninja protested, tried so hard not to whine.

"She'll be fine," Raph put in grumpily, his arms over his chest as he leaned against the kitchen doorway. "She probably wouldn't've come anyway."

"You don't know that!"

"Enough!" interrupted Leo. "Raph, quit baiting him. Don." His elder brother turned to him, his navy eyes firm. "I know you're a turtle of your word so after we're done, you can go to the park."

While Raphie spluttered, Don grinned. "Thanks, Leo!"

Leo smiled at him, indulgent, and said, "I never did ask how it went last night."

Donnie's smile faded a fraction. "She's…skittish. I know I'm right, Leo, they were human and even if they don't remember, she didn't attack me outright. I think I got to her. Maybe."

"You spoke with her?" Leo gaped at him and even Raph was wide-eyed.

Don nodded, thinking back to last night. "She just randomly showed up. It took a while to get her to come out from behind her tree and she doesn't really talk a lot. She speaks when spoken to," he added bitterly. "She's not allowed to ask questions – at least, not to anyone outside her pack. I told her she could ask me questions but she was adamant and refused."

"Did ya tell her?" whispered Raph.

"That she was human? …Yes. She… I don't think she believed me. I told her I'd be at the park tonight if she wanted to talk about it some more."

Leo gripped his shoulder, leaning in. "You're an enlightening one, Donatello. Everyone around you learns something whether they want to or not. She'll believe you. Sooner or later, she'll have to."

"You really think so?" Don looked up into his big brother's eyes and was reassured by the confidence there.

"I know so," he answered with a kind smile. Then the smile vanished and he smirked. "I've been living with you for eighteen years so, yeah, I definitely know."

Raph snorted a laugh which Don ignored and he rolled his eyes at his elder brother.

-:-:-:-

It was as soon as they got to the roofs and started running that Don understood just how cooped up his brothers had felt for the last several days. Mikey voiced a joyous "WAHOOO!" and took off in a full sprint, pulling ahead of Leo who smiled and called to not get too far ahead. Raph on the other hand was silent and kept his eyes on the clear sky, his amber eyes reflecting the waning moon.

"Sure is clear tonight," Donnie observed, running beside him.

"Should be a good one," his brother replied absently.

Their exuberance was short-lived when they stumbled upon three consecutive muggers and then a car thief but the seriousness didn't seem to dampen their high spirits too much. And when Leo halted their group and commanded silence, they obeyed willingly enough and looked over the edge of their warehouse to a large group of Purple Dragons swarming another warehouse that definitely didn't belong to them, if the unconscious guards tied up by the door were any indication.

"I count thirty-nine," Leo announced, and a shiver slid down Don's inner carapace at the bad odds.

"Sounds like fun!" Raph said with a smirk and a crack of his knuckles. "Mike?"

Mikey bounced on the spot, eyes shining with determination. "Let's do it!"

"Don?" Leo glanced at him and he could only shrug, saying nothing. "All right, guys," their fearless leader said, getting into battle mode with a plan already formed. "Surround the place and pick them off. _Stay out of sight._ We'll whittle them down before we take out the rest."

Don sighed as he jumped down from the roof into the shadows. It looked like he might be late for his appointment with Snow Leopard. He hoped she would understand.

Somehow, he doubted it.

-:-:-:-

It was the sounds of battle that drew the Elite Five out of their joyful romp across the rooftops and towards the docks. Several warehouses were dark but there was one fully lit and dozens of humans either lay unconscious on the ground or fought savagely against…

"Well, look at that!" Lion said with a predator's smile which sent shivers up Snow Leopard's spine.

The four turtles were here. She spotted the purple one with his bō as he swept it around, taking out three humans in one move.

It looked like they both had gotten caught up in other plans.

"What do you think, Lion?" Lynx asked, her grey eyes bright.

"I think we should bring Mistress a gift" was the smooth reply. "The Purple Dragons are also allies of Father of Mistress. We should aid our allies."

Snow Leopard and Jaguar exchanged glances and Snow Leopard spoke, "If the Dragons were so foolish as to get caught by the turtles then they deserve their shame. Almost forty against four? They deserve their humiliation when they report back to Father of Mistress for their failure."

Lion stared at her. "Are you saying that we should overlook this attack on our masters' assets?"

Snow Leopard lifted her chin. "I'm saying that maybe they should be better trained than just hired hands. Then maybe they wouldn't fail so epically."

"And who should train them, hm? You?"

"I serve as bodyguard to Mistress, as you do – as we all do!" she retorted. "We have no time to train these humans. You speak for us, Lion. You are our leader. Talk to Mis-"

"Yes, I am your leader!" snarled Lion. "And as your leader, I'm giving you an order. Bring back a turtle head. It doesn't matter if it's attached or not."

"One against four, Lion?" Jaguar asked quietly. "That's hardly fair."

Lion smirked. "Who said she would go alone? Five against four sounds like better odds to me. Come, my siblings. We hunt."

With that, he leaped off the roof, White Tiger, Lynx and Jaguar following. Snow Leopard hesitated. The purple turtle was her best key to unlocking her past and finding out the truth of who she was. She didn't want to sacrifice that. But at the same time, she didn't dare disobey an order.

Or did I?

I was done with being a good, little soldier. I wanted a choice and I would take it by force if necessary.

Heaven help me.

Sliding off the roof, she crept along the warehouse wall instead of aiming directly for the turtles which her packmates were doing. She had to be so careful. She was ninja. She was a cat. She was one with the shadows and she easily took down the handful of Dragons that were in her way; they never saw her coming and so it was almost too easy to sneak up on them from behind.

Making her way around the warehouse, she came up on the turtles from the rear. She was in position and now she had a problem: she had no way to get their attention without also alerting her packmates.

Glancing around for an idea, she spotted a dropped pocket knife beside an unconscious Purple Dragon's hand. It would have to do. She'd been trained on weapons – katana, shuriken and staff – though she carried none on her person because she _was_ a weapon. Still, she knew how to throw a knife. Giving it an experimental toss, she caught it by the handle and whipped it towards the turtles – towards one turtle, actually. The purple one.

The knife slammed into the wall by his head and he reacted, automatically flinching away and then trying to find his assailant. She could see his brown eyes widen from her spot thirty yards away when he spied her. He made to take a step toward her but she lifted a hand and held up all five fingers. She really hoped he got it.

He did.

His wide eyes went wider and he shouted: "Leo, we need to get out of here right now!"

"No way, Brainiac!" the red-masked one snapped as he punched a Purple Dragon so hard in the face that the human's nose broke. "This is too much fun!"

"Leonardo, we're about to have some very furry and not very cuddly company!"

It was like time stopped. The blue-, red- and orange-masked turtles froze in horror, their various opponents still as well and caught off-guard by this sudden development.

Snow Leopard sensed the movement rather than heard or saw it. Lion led the charge – of course, he did – and his amber eyes gleamed in the darkness as he loosed a roar that sent all the humans scattering in terror, and the turtles broke free of their frozen state.

"RUN!" the blue one screamed.

The order was needless; for all four burst into a flight so sudden that it momentarily startled their adversaries which was all to the good if the turtles wanted to live.

"Follow me!" the purple one commanded, heading in my direction.

Problem: Jaguar and Lynx had taken to the roof and now jumped down to land amongst the fleeing terrapins.

Mistress hadn't been kidding when she said they were ninja, that and coupled with their natural instincts to avoid predators, the shelled critters dodged claws and teeth almost effortlessly, brandishing their weapons to ward them off.

"They're getting away!" White Tiger roared. "Where is Snow Leopard?"

As they drew level with me, it was like all four knew where to look to find me, half-hidden in the shadows. Snow Leopard tensed, wary of the sai and katana that were still drawn and in ready hands.

The purple one slowed a fraction, hesitation clear in his eyes and face. He didn't want to leave. Why?

Her packmates were gaining. She had no time left. If they found her here, they would know she had betrayed them. But I didn't want to hurt the turtle who had opened my eyes to the (probable) lie that was my life.

"I'm sorry," she managed to say before she leaped at him. She kept her claws carefully sheathed, kept her teeth well away from him even as she bared them in a snarl. She tried to keep most of her weight off him as she tackled him.

"Snow!" she heard Lion exclaim behind her.

"Donnie!" she heard the turtles cry.

Her long and bulky body worked in her favour as she successfully hid her antics from her packmates' view. She squirmed and tossed her weight around, pretending to grapple with the turtle who had gone quite still, her lashing tail whipped up loose pebbles and debris from the loose asphalt.

"I will not hurt you," I told him as quietly as I dared. "Work with me here."

It seemed that the purple turtle – Donnie – finally understood what she was doing and did he ever work: a gentled elbow caught her chin, a pulled punch landed in her right eye, he even bit her forearm. She squeaked at the mild pressure of teeth on her skin and instinctively reared back, exposing her chest and belly for the double kick he delivered.

She fell back and away, and he scrambled up, sweeping his staff out of its holster on his shell. She stayed down, letting her breath hiss out of her teeth. Tilting her head up at him, she winked and mouthed _Meet you at the park_.

He didn't acknowledge it, merely shifted his weight and used his staff to vault over her and race towards his brothers who were engaged with her packmates.

"Lion!" I called out, putting fear and desperation into the breathy plea.

Lion took one glance in my direction and snarled viciously, swiping at the red turtle who fell. "Elite Five, retreat!" he ordered, reaching me in two bounds and scooping me off the ground into his arms. "White Tiger, I said retreat!"

Lynx raced over to us, touching my cheek with frightened fingers. "Sister," she rasped.

I felt bad for lying to her but I would make it up to her later. For now, I closed my eyes and purred at her touch as Jaguar and White Tiger fell in around us and Lion bore me home.

No, not home. Saki Tower.

-:-

Please review.


	8. Chapter 8: Conviction

**lizzybudd:** Thank you! That's so nice of you to say so. Snow Leopard is an excellent actress and the pack is about to find out just how good she is. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **prangersturtles:** Don't worry! Snow Leopard and Don have a bit of a way to go yet. Convincing the guys that she's not against them is going to take more effort from both parties. Thank you for reviewing!

 _Chapter 8: Conviction  
_

"RAPH!" Don yelled, rushing to his brother's side while the Elite Five retreated. He'd seen Lion swipe at him, claws extended. If his little brother was hurt because of him he'd…

Raph was sitting up?

Donnie fell to his knees beside him and couldn't believe his eyes.

"He got me right across the plastron," Raph explained, perfectly fine though visibly shaken. "Thank shell we're turtles."

"Yeah," Donnie agreed breathlessly, helping his brother stand. "Leo? Mikey?"

"All good here," Leo called back just as something hard plowed into the purple-banded genius.

"Ow!" he cried. "Mikey!"

"Dude, I thought she gutted you!" Mikey sounded on the verge of tears. "And, Raphie, you almost got sliced and diced, bro."

"I'm fine. Really." Amber eyes turned to him. "How the shell did ya walk away from gettin' tackled like that, Don?"

Donnie felt Leo slide behind him, his fingers running over his shoulders for injuries. He waved his brother away as he answered, "She faked it."

"She what?" gasped Mikey. "We thought you were a goner!"

"She barely landed on me," the genius explained quietly. "It took me a while to figure out what she was doing. She made it look like we fought. She didn't hurt me at all."

"Looks like you hurt her, though," Leo observed, nodding in the direction in which the cats had fled.

"I pulled most of it. I had to kick her but she played up how hurt she was. At least, I'm pretty sure she played it up."

He racked his brain for details and shrugged. As soon as he'd kicked her away, he'd focussed on his brothers. "Let's just be grateful that they have such a strong pack mentality. One of their number went down and they immediately took the defensive."

"Great. So what now?"

Don frowned. It was highly unlikely that Snow Leopard would be able to get away from Saki Tower to meet him at the park but…he had promised and unlikely was not impossible. "I've got an appointment to keep," he said.

Raph snarled. "No freaking way! Not after what just happened!"

"She warned us they were coming, Raph!" Don shot back.

"She could have killed you!"

"Could have!" he emphasised. "Didn't."

"That don't mean nothin'! She's a predator! An apex predator! Do ya not watch TV?"

"I know what she is, Raphael! She helped us! We would be kitty fodder right now if not for her!"

"Enough of this!" Leo cut in. "The police are on their way, if you haven't noticed the sirens. Come on."

As they took to the roofs, Don ran beside Leo. "I'm not going home yet, Leo. You can't make me give up on this."

"I wasn't going to." His elder brother glanced at him then looked behind him. "Raph, you're going with Don!"

"I'm what now? No way!"

"Leo," Donnie began. He did not want his younger brother with him; if Snow Leopard did show up, he'd only scare her off.

Their leader's voice snapped like a whip: "Raphael, go with Don or deal with him at home! I'm good with either one." Turning to him, he added, "Either he goes with you or you don't go at all. I'm not jeopardising your safety, not after tonight. It's your choice."

Don glared at him but relented. He only hoped Snow Leopard could get away from Saki Tower to meet with him; otherwise, he would have an even more irate brother to contend with. "Fine. Come on, Raph."

He distinctly heard his younger brother grumble, "She'd better be there" and rolled his eyes.

"Don!" Leo called after him as he turned away. "If she doesn't show by three, come home."

His brother was such a worry-wart but he nodded, said, "Sure, Leo" and took off into the night with Raph on his heels.

-:-:-:-

Lion didn't let go of me until after we had arrived at the medical bay. "I WANT A DOCTOR HERE NOW!" he roared, making my ears ring.

"It's not so bad," I said softly as he settled me on a bed. I cringed only a fraction under my leader's glare and added, "It was more of a winding than anything."

"He probably bruised your ribs – maybe even cracked them! I'm going to _gut that reptile_!"

"I would have gutted one had you not called us off, Lion," White Tiger groused, examining the claws on his right hand.

Lion snarled at him, swinging around to stand nose-to-nose with the striped male. "And risk the safety of this pack?" he hissed.

White Tiger wisely backed down, dropping his head and ears, and curling his tail around his ankles. "Never, Lion," he murmured, his icy blue eyes flicking to me. "Never."

Lion whirled away from him. "WHERE'S THAT DOCTOR?!" It was a good thing Lion was able to ask questions because Mistress appeared at his shoulder with three humans in white coats a second later.

"What has happened?" she asked, her voice deadly quiet.

Her appearance cowed everyone in the vicinity: Lion inclined his head and sidestepped away to give her more room while White Tiger, Lynx and Jaguar immediately crouched on their haunches. Snow Leopard tried to sit up but a pang through her ribcage kept her down so she contented herself with a respectful nod. "Mistress," everyone murmured.

"We ran into the turtles, Mistress," Lion answered, also dropping his upright stance so his head was not above her shoulder. "They attacked a Purple Dragon warehouse and we attempted to help."

"Attempted?" Green eyes flashed.

"One of them almost kicked Snow Leopard's chest in," their leader replied as one of the humans neared Snow Leopard and began checking her over. "I made the decision to get her to safety and called off the pack so we could take her home."

Mistress said nothing and turned to the doctor. "Well?"

The woman examining Snow Leopard glanced at the crowd sidelong before turning her gaze on Mistress. "I need to conduct a more thorough examination," she said.

"All males, get out!" Mistress snapped and she was obeyed instantly without protest by three cats and two doctors.

Lynx stepped closer to me, taking my hand, and I squeezed back.

The doctor did not look at me as she said, "I need to remove your uniform to take a better look at your chest."

I just nodded and tried not to notice her fingers shaking as she undid my obi and removed the kosode. My ribs twitched at the movement and I winced. Lynx brushed my hand and I glanced at her.

The doctor pressed skilled fingers against my ribs and I bit back a hiss of pain. The purple turtle had done a number on me, even pulling his strength. Snow Leopard wanted payback but I wasn't so sure.

"One cracked rib for sure," she announced. "I'll wrap her for now and her exercise will be limited for at least a week. Her face is also bruised and her right eye will be swollen for a while but they heal quickly, yes?" Her brown eyes flicked to Mistress who nodded once. "We'll keep her here tonight to make sure there aren't any complications."

As the doctor fetched linen and secured my ribs, Mistress's gaze fell on me.

"It seems you are having a bad time with injuries lately, Snow Leopard," Mistress addressed the silver cat.

Snow Leopard dropped her head, flattening her ears. "I don't mean to, Mistress," she murmured. "The turtles are unlike anything I have fought."

"I seem to recall that you would not hesitate to kill them next time?" Her eyes bored into her and she shrank a little more on the bed, curling her tail around her legs.

"I did not hesitate. I did my best," she answered.

I noted Lynx's fleeting frown but she erased it from her face before Mistress saw it.

Mistress's hard mouth and eyes softened and she sat on the bed. "I believe you did," she assured her. "Rest now. The turtles will pay for what they did but not tonight. Stay with her, Lynx."

"Yes, Mistress," the tawny cat said, bowing at the waist.

 _No!_ Snow Leopard wanted to protest. She had to meet the purple turtle. Despite the fact that he had almost collapsed her ribcage, they had made an agreement. I would meet him at the park tonight…

But I could not say anything, not even to ask permission for revenge because it was not my place to ask questions and Lion was not here.

Mistress noticed my distress and gently stroked my neck, carding her fingers through my thick fur. I couldn't help but relax at the familiar, gentle touch. "Rest," she soothed. "It'll be all right."

Closing my eyes, I rumbled a low purr. "Yes, Mistress."

She left soon after and Lion led Jaguar and White Tiger back into the med bay.

"How are you?" Lion asked, his amber eyes distressed.

"Well enough," I replied. "I'm sorry that I didn't get your turtle head."

White Tiger chuckled, "There's always next time, right?"

I rolled my eyes as Jaguar did his. "Yeah. Right."

"I take it that you're staying the night?" Lion queried, not quite looking at me.

"Yeah. For observation of something."

"Well, I don't know about you, my siblings, but I am tired," Lynx announced with a twitch of her whiskers.

"You're tired?" I scoffed but then I trailed off when she climbed up onto my hospital bed and curled up around my feet. "What are you doing?"

"Isn't there a human term for what we're doing?" she wondered sleepily.

"Sleepover." I said it automatically and then stiffened when my packmates stared at me.

"How do you know that?" Lion looked at me hard and I shrugged.

"I don't know."

Lion never got the chance to respond to that because a loud scraping announced Jaguar moving a bed right up next to mine. He smiled at me as he curled up, tossing his tail across his face.

"Human beds are so uncomfortable," White Tiger complained but he, too, joined us, settling across both beds with his head resting on Lynx's back.

"If you don't like it, you can sleep on the tiled floor," Jaguar muttered.

"Too lazy" was the low grumble. "Lion, are you just going to stand there awkwardly all night?"

I grinned at Lion's quiet splutter of surprise and shuffled over without him telling me to. He stared at the allotted room beside me and then slid in as gently as he knew how. I lay back carefully and was not successful in supressing my grimace of pain.

Lion touched my hand, his eyes concerned.

I smiled at him. "You never can keep your emotions to yourself."

"I'm just glad you're all right," he whispered.

"Trying to sleep here," groused our black-striped brother.

I flicked my tail into his face and Lynx giggled while he growled and batted it away.

"You're all cubs," muttered Jaguar.

While my siblings snickered and eventually quieted, I thought of the purple turtle. I hoped he had gone home with his brothers and wasn't waiting for me at the park. He had been…kind, which wasn't something I would ever have expected from Mistress's sworn enemies, and I had to wonder if he was kind enough to tell me the truth, were the rest of them, too? In which case, they had to have a good reason to wage war against Mistress and Father of Mistress.

I couldn't help but think that I was missing an opportunity to _know_ but lying here with my pack, I didn't want to leave. We called each other friend, brother and sister but it wasn't until this moment that I began to consider that maybe we might actually be a family rather than just the guard-team that Mistress wanted us to be. And despite what the purple turtle had said and what I had discovered for myself (the scar around my right elbow almost burned as I thought of it and what it meant), I wasn't sure that I could give up my pack. I didn't want to live a lie but this, surely this, my brothers and sister piled around me, was the truest thing I knew. If I had been human at some point, even if I had a family somewhere out in the wide world, I didn't want to sacrifice what I was for something I could barely remember.

Maybe that was why I couldn't remember so that I wouldn't want to remember and go back?

Questions, questions, questions. There were far too many running around in my head and I wanted them answered. I couldn't ask Mistress but...I would if I had to.

I didn't like not knowing.

-:-:-:-

"Well, this was a complete waste of time."

"Shut up, Raph."

"No, really. I mean, we've wasted time before but this just about beats that stupid marathon Mikey pulled us inta last month. Remember that? That was _mind-numbin'_! But this? Bro, ya really did it this time."

"For shell's sake, Raphael, I know! Now would you shut up!?"

Don refused to look at his brother to see him smirking. He knew he was smirking, the hotheaded Neanderthal, and he resented him for being so stupidly smug. He didn't need his brother rubbing in the fact that he felt like an idiot. He should have known that Snow Leopard wouldn't show up, not after almost kicking in her ribcage. She would be confined to Saki Tower, kept careful watch over, and there he had gone, dragging his brother halfway across the city to wait for hours in the chilly night. Geez, he was such a moron!

They were both shivering when they arrived home just before four. Leo greeted them at the door and ushered them to the couch only to then disappear into the kitchen to make hot chocolate.

"I take it she didn't show?" Leo asked quietly when he returned with steaming mugs.

"Surprise, surprise," Raph griped after a sip.

Don ignored him, staring mindlessly into his drink. "What if I hurt her?" he rasped. "I tried to pull my strength but what if I hurt her? What if I ruined our chance with her forever? She could turn on us for this."

"If she does then she does," Leo counseled gently, "and we won't know until we meet with her again. Drink and then go to bed. I'll tell Sensei you're both excused from training."

Neither Don nor Raph argued, draining their mugs and heading up the stairs while Leo cleaned up.

"Hey, Don?" Raph whispered before he could turn into his room.

"Just don't, Raph," retorted Donnie. "I've had enough of your 'I told you so', so, please, just leave me alone."

"Fine then," snarled the red-masked ninja, and his door was shut too harshly to avoid waking up Mikey who was just next door.

Don sighed and closed his own door quietly. He shed his gear and fell into bed but didn't fall asleep. He lay awake, staring into the darkness, and could not stop thinking. He was still awake when he heard Leo and Mikey get up for training but he never heard Splinter's first command to begin, succumbing at last to exhaustion.

-:-

Please review.


	9. Chapter 9: Conflict

**TMNT-Queen:** Thank you very much, and you were right about Raph apologising to Donnie. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Rhodesincolumbus:** Thank you! I have to agree that things are about to get a lot more bumpy. Thank you for reviewing!

 **lizzybudd:** Snow Leopard certainly has her ways to sneak out from under suspicion. ;) Leo is stressed by what just happened and what Don plans to do. He'll let his brother do it until he deems it irrevocably unsafe and making Raph go with Donnie gave him an extra bit of peace to continue allowing it. Funny that you mention the birth order because I do the exact, same thing with stories I come across where Raph is older than Don. Thanks for understanding! Poor Lion has a lot riding on him; too bad it's about to get worse! Your observation where Karai is concerned are spot-on. Thank you kindly! And thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Yeah, lucky Raph, indeed. I'm glad you have such faith in Snow Leopard to figure stuff out. She's working on it. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Author's Note:** Hello, everyone! I am so sorry for not updating this one as regularly as I do "Flash" but I am still here and still writing this thing so don't worry! School has started so my schedule flown out the window but I WILL continue to write. "The Fifth Mutant" has also proven difficult to get out. I've a couple plot points on paper already but getting there has been a trial and a half. Thank you for being so patient. You're all amazing!

 _Chapter 9: Conflict_

Two and a half days was plenty of time to recover, thanks to our rapid healing factor; it gave me ample time to think: at Jaguar's urging, I had told Lynx about my dreams and the scar. She had panicked, of course, asking me why I hadn't confided in her earlier, how scared she was for me, and demanding to understand what this could mean for all of us. It had been no small mercy that we had been in my room at the time and no one had heard her. But at least she was on my side. (When had I even begun to distinguish an Us versus Them mentality? That was no way to think and I knew it. My pack was my family, Mistress had trained us to act as a team, and a team was what we were.) I figured I would tell Lion and White Tiger eventually but for now…I was just glad two of the only people in my life knew what was going on and were just as confused as I was.

I thought about the purple-masked turtle. Once I recovered, I wanted to go to the park and hope that he would be waiting there, just like he had waited for me on that first night. I could not ask him my questions – forbidden as I was from asking anyone anything outside of the Elite Five – but maybe we could just talk; he obviously knew a lot more than I did about New York and perhaps he would divulge some information concerning Mistress? I also half-hoped that I could meet another of his brothers, if not all three. Seeing all four only in battle raised the fur along my spine but the purple-banded one was kind, despite everything Mistress had told us concerning her hated enemies. As an animal, and more specifically as a predator, I possessed instincts that would warn me of malicious intent towards me. It was a smell, really: pungent and strong that burned in the nostrils like skunk-stink or rotting meat.

But two and a half days was far too much time to be spent in either my room or the Gym (but not training!), lying still and being an invalid in what felt like every sense of the word.

I lay in the Gym now, on the dais that bore Mistress's chair so she could survey and direct us through our routine training. However, she was not in her chair today as my four siblings moved in synchronisation through a kata. She was beside me on the floor, sitting cross-legged and stroking my head and neck in long, smooth and absent-minded strokes, as she called out command after command. The touch was wonderful. I treasured Mistress giving me attention. I loved her callused hands that could be so gentle as she carded them through my thick fur, and she knew all my favourite places, like the base of my ears and the top of my neck where spine met skull.

The touch was wrong. Somewhere in the back of my mind, something writhed against being petted. I – we, my siblings and I – were not meant to be petted and not meant to be pets, period. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I wanted to move away but four years of being trained by her, owned by her and loved by her were hard to forget yet. Yes, I knew she loved us. She cared for us and made sure we were strong enough to return that care. We would protect Mistress. I would protect Mistress because, after my packmates, she was all I had.

But not really, a voice reminded me. Somewhere out in the city was a turtle and somewhere out in the world was, quite possibly, a family.

I wanted to move away from her but I did not because then she would ask me questions that I would have to answer honestly – because I was trained to be honest. I was trained to answer any and all questions without even a drop of deception, especially if the questioner was of higher rank (which, quite honestly, was Lion and everyone in the Foot Clan. Honoured guard to Mistress, though we were, we knew we were lower than the lowest Foot ninja).

When my packmates finished their kata, Mistress gave the order for one-on-one sparring. White Tiger and Jaguar went first. Jaguar glanced at me and winked, and I hid my smile in my paws. Lion spotted out exchange and growled, his tail lashing, but Mistress didn't notice.

"Hajime!" she called.

White Tiger and Jaguar bowed to her, bowed to each other and began with a clash of claws. Jaguar feinted and dived to the right, kicking out with both feet and tail. He flipped off his hands – ha! He got that trick from me! – and twisted gracefully in the air to land on White Tiger's shoulders when the larger cat tried to grab him. Jaguar tapped his claws against White Tiger's larynx and everything went still.

"Well done, Jaguar," Mistress cooed, rising from her place beside me and ambling towards the cats.

Jaguar dismounted and crouched respectfully while White Tiger grumbled, and I purred a chuckle. Mistress rewarded the smaller predator with a scratch beneath the chin, tilting his head up to get at his favoured spot. "Well done, Jaguar," she said again. "You may join Snow Leopard on the dais for the remainder of training."

Jaguar bowed. "Thank you, Mistress," he said and loped over to me as Mistress called for Lynx to face White Tiger.

I rubbed my head against his shoulder when he lay down. "Well done, brother," I murmured.

He chortled quietly and gave the top of my head a quick and gentle lick. "I've been waiting to use that trick for a while, my sister, so I thank you."

I beamed up at him. "You're welcome!"

We were silent for the duration of White Tiger's battle with Lynx but when he lost that round, too, Jaguar observed, "He's getting frustrated."

"Lion will set him straight" was my confident reply.

Jaguar glanced at me sidelong. "You like him, don't you?"

"Who?" Lynx padded up the steps to the dais and settled in on my other side.

"No one," I said quickly, nuzzling her. "You were amazing, sister."

"Thank you," she said primly. "Now, back to the matter at paw. What's this about you liking someone?"

"I don't!" I protested. "I mean, I do! Lion is like a brother to me!"

"I believe I speak for us all when I say that there might be something more on his part," Jaguar deadpanned.

I scowled, my nose scrunching and my lips pulling back slightly over my teeth. "Well, there's shouldn't!" I hissed in a low voice. "We are a team and a family."

"Mistress would approve!" Lynx put in.

"I don't care! Being…like that…it would complicate things. And what about the cubs? Father of Mistress would never let us keep them. You know he wouldn't."

That silenced them; for they knew I was right.

"I'm happy with what I have right now," I emphasised, leaning against Lynx at the same time that I flicked Jaguar's back with my tail.

"You could be happier if you had something more," commented Lynx.

I stilled at her words and Jaguar met my intense gaze. He knew. He knew about my concerns. He knew we could have had – might have had – something more, something else and beyond our wildest dreams.

I had to know for sure.

"Excellently done, my Elite Five!" Mistress praised, and I blinked when I realised that Lion had won the bout and White Tiger was still defeated but now he was calm. Lion had that effect on us. "You are dismissed. Lion, walk with me."

I got up from the sandwich of my two siblings and trotted down the steps after the human and feline. My ribs gave only a mild twinge which I was more than able to ignore and I caught up to the pair.

I still knew my place, despite my burning questions.

"Snow Leopard!" Mistress had spotted me since I had purposefully moved into her line of sight. "I was about to talk with Lion about you and the rest of the pack. You're healing well?"

I inclined my head under that jade-hard gaze. "Yes, Mistress, I am."

"Excellent. Then I give you tonight for yourselves. I will give Lion the specifics and he will relate them to you." She smiled at me and I knew it was a dismissal but…I had to know.

I opened my mouth but Lion nudged me.

"You're dismissed, Snow Leopard," he said firmly.

I snapped my muzzle shut at the order, bowed and scurried away.

My three packmates waited for me at the far door that led up to the Sun Room.

"What was that about?" Lynx asked, her grey eyes concerned.

I sighed. "Leaders," I muttered.

White Tiger laughed, a loud, booming sound. "Then let us get our minds off such troublesome thoughts! There's a sunspot upstairs with my name on it!"

I followed my siblings upstairs, knowing that I had missed my chance.

-:-:-:-

The moon was full (not that we could see it through this thick cloud) and a light snow fell, but we all knew the wind would change just after midnight and bring with it a blizzard. _In the middle of November?_ I thought with a pang for the high hills that had protected our home in rural Japan.

Our breath steamed from our nostrils and mouths as we ran, our black uniforms turning us into shadows beneath the heavy clouds that were orange from light pollution. I missed the stars. Even on the clearest nights, I never saw as many stars as I had back in Japan. I caught myself several times glancing up and hoping for a break in the thick veil that lay over the city, but of course, it was futile. Just like my attempts to break away from the group. It was easier said than done to sneak away from animals with heightened sight, smell and hearing, let alone four of them who also happened to be my siblings which just made them more attentive.

It was an hour shy of midnight when we heard a shrill shriek that was quickly muffled. Beneath my kosode, my fur stood up along my spine. I chuffed as I swung my head around in the direction the sound came from, flaring my nostrils to catch a scent as my brothers and sister did the same.

The wind was our ally and blew toward us a smell that was at the same time new yet completely familiar: sharp and pungent, it was fear.

"Lion." The way I said it let him know that I was awaiting his command.

"Let's go," he growled. "But be careful. We must not be seen."

I started to move only after he had passed me by a few inches. I stayed on his right side while White Tiger took up his left. Lynx flanked my right and Jaguar had White Tiger's left flank. We were an arrowhead of trained ninja and instinctive predator as we jumped, one, two roofs and came to a halt at the end of the short building. We all five looked down into the alley and found a man wrestling with a woman in the shadows. My eyesight was faultless as I took in the blush of cold and exertion beneath the dark skin of both adults, the whites of the woman's eyes and the man's hand over her mouth.

"What is the meaning of this?" Jaguar asked, his voice barely a breeze. "Did the woman wrong the man?"

None of us could answer because none of us knew. I tilted my head and watched as the man managed to unzip the woman's coat and grab beneath her clothes. Her scream was muffled against his hand but her fear spiked, a tanto to my sensitive nostrils.

Then, strangely, the man yowled and retreated a pace, nursing the muffling hand. I caught the scent of fresh blood and could not help my smile when he snarled, "You bit me!"

Then he said, "You'll pay for that!" and lunged toward the wall of our building.

I leaned over farther to see what he aimed for, hearing the woman scream, and saw something that looked like an ovular box with a blue, cloth cover and a large handle.

The woman's scream had been words. Two words. Two words that reverberated through my brain, bones, organs and sinews. Every cell of my being burst with the words: "My son!"

I moved.

I didn't even know I had until I was landing on the ground in the alley, having jumped down faster than a lightning strike, rolling to minimize the impact. I was on top of the man with a snarl, grabbing him by the scruff of his jacket and lifting him clear off the ground. I brought my face into his, letting him see every last one of my teeth, before throwing him bodily into the opposite wall. I heard something crack but I didn't care as I crouched to inspect the treasure within the ovular box. There was a little flap on the cover that was secured with only a tiny piece of Velcro and I lifted it carefully. The human was swaddled tightly in blankets and clothes, a tiny, knitted cap on his tiny head. Black lashes lay against cheeks the colour of the roasted chestnuts I had seen Mistress eat during the winter seasons. His entire face was round, nose, chin and cheeks alike. He breathed, sleeping deeply and unaware of everything that had just transpired. I replaced the flap and looked up at the sound of footsteps coming closer.

The woman watched me with wide, brown eyes. I quickly dropped my gaze to not antagonise her. Her fear had not abated and I chose to ease her fear by stepping away from her cub – _baby_ , a voice corrected. I stayed low and moved slowly, backing away with precision and caution. Above me, I heard my siblings shift their weight, preparing to come to my aid if needed.

It was not needed.

The woman grabbed the handle and hoisted the box up. Her jacket was still unzipped but she didn't seem to notice, preferring to safeguard her offspring, just like any mother would.

I crept to the wall and lifted my body to climb back up when I heard her speak, her voice accented like a lot of the people's in this area. "Thank ya," she whispered.

I glanced back at her. She had moved to the mouth of the alley, a place that was better-lit than the darkened alley. I nodded. We were not permitted to speak to anyone outside of the pack unless we were asked a question. Not that I minded, although I felt like I should mind…

Shaking my head to clear it, I climbed, using my powerful hind legs to do most of the work as I found purchase in the brick. It was nice to be above the city once more; the ground was a frightening place, with buildings and streets full of humans on all sides. It was nice to be among my siblings.

They crowded around me, Lynx and Jaguar running their fingers over my shoulders and back while White Tiger nuzzled the top of my head – the most affectionate I'd ever seen him be in the four years I'd known him. Lion's amber gaze was hard and soft at the same time.

"You disobeyed my order to not be seen," he said stiffly.

"She had a cub," I replied smoothly. _Baby,_ I thought again.

"It is the nature of the world that the young and helpless fall prey to the strong," he retorted.

I shook my siblings off and straightened to my full height. I was still shorter than Lion but that act alone made him blink. I ducked my chin and lifted my lips. "It is also the nature of the world that those able and willing protect the young."

"We are not of their species, Snow," Lion growled.

"But we are a part of their world, Lion! We share this world with them, just as we share it with Mistress and the birds and the hills!" I shot back. "I am strong and able and willing, and I will not turn my back on those young and helpless whom others view as prey. Will you?" The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them and I knew Lion could take them up as a challenge, unintentional though it was.

Everyone around me held their breath, waiting to see how Lion would react. He stared down at me with narrowed eyes, his breath harsh plumes from both nostrils. Then he sighed and the standoff ended. "No," he whispered, nearing. "No, I will not."

I purred, half-closing my eyes, and let him wash my ears.

It was through my half-lidded sight that I caught a flash of colour against the grey and white world. My eyes snapped open and my siblings noticed my preoccupation: the tail ends of purple mask-tails.

I was close enough to Lion to feel the vibrations in his chest as he growled. "I promised you that I would gut that reptile," he smiled at me, as if he were about to give me a present, and took off.

The pack leaped into position automatically, with me among them, though Lynx was more beside me than flanking me.

"You pulled back," she whispered, quietly enough that no one heard her. "You warned them and when you tackled him, you pulled back."

I glanced at her and then glanced away. It was enough of a confirmation for her.

"Why?"

I inhaled. I hadn't told anyone, not Lion, not Jaguar, not even Lynx, about the purple turtle and our meeting. I hadn't told anyone that he had told me that I used to be human. I had only my scar, my scattered memories and his word as proof, and I knew that wasn't enough to convince anyone. So I answered with the only answer that I could: "Because he knows the truth."

"Truth about what?"

But I couldn't answer because we were on top of them.

Them. Not him.

Lion pulled ahead, leaped and landed on the purple one who went down with a cry. The red one, the only other turtle present, spun on a dime and lunged with red-wrapped steel gleaming in his hands.

"Get off him!" Red shouted, slashing Lion across the face.

My leader reeled back with a roar of pain that shook both air and ground. White Tiger echoed the roar and slammed into Red with his full weight and strength, his claws and teeth flashing.

"Jaguar, Lynx!" I shouted as I fell to my knees beside Lion whose blood dappled the snow-covered rooftop.

Jaguar shed his haori and handed it to me. I used my fangs to slice through the material and wadded it against Lion's face. A glance over my shoulder told me that Purple and Red were losing ground against White Tiger: Red bled from a wound in his left leg and favoured his right arm while Purple had three, short, parallel cuts across his scalp – a graze from what I could see.

"Get him up!" I ordered my packmates. "Take him home. White Tiger!" I yelled, gaining my feet as Jaguar and Lynx obeyed. "White Tiger, retreat!"

"I won't leave empty-handed this time!" he shouted back.

I leaped into the fray, ducking a staff and blocking a sai before slamming both hands into the striped cat's chest to drive him back. "Let them go! We have more pressing issues!"

"Raph, no!"

I tried to turn but suddenly found myself airborne. I landed and skidded to a stop. Fighting stars, I looked up in time to see my brother slam Red's head into the rooftop. The turtle went limp.

"NO!" Purple screamed. "No, no, no, no!"

I had to move or they'd kill each other. Staggering to my feet, I caught the staff and saved my brother from a bashed skull.

"Get out of here now!" I ordered both of them and I would be obeyed by at least one.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw White Tiger scoop up Red's inert body and trot away. Purple watched them go with brown eyes that quickly filled with tears. I released the staff and stepped back. His eyes flicked to me.

"Will you help me save him?" he asked me.

Curse him and his questions!

I opened my mouth, "I cannot," and fled. I knew he could not catch me. I knew he would go home. I knew that he knew that he couldn't save his brother alone.

-:-

Please review.


	10. Chapter 10: True Colours

**lizzybudd:** Raph's in trouble, Snow Leopard's about to get in trouble. There's trouble everywhere! Thank you for reviewing!

 **Silexwitch:** Nope, nope, nope. Definitely not good! Thank you for reviewing!

 **Author's Note:** As an apology for the abominably-long wait for the last chapter (I think it was three weeks and I'm still so sorry about that!), here is Chapter 10. Action and angst galore in this one, and it's nice and long at over 5 000 words! Enjoy and please review! Your comments mean the world to me! :)

 _Chapter 10: True Colours_

To say that Mistress was pleased with our…acquisition would have been an understatement. While visibly distressed by Lion's predicament, she immediately had several Foot ninja haul the red-masked turtle away and smiled the whole time.

It made me sick.

I stayed away from her as soon as I was dismissed, staying with Lion who got nineteen stitches from his right cheek, across his muzzle and up towards his left eye – it was a mercy he hadn't lost it – but the cut was deep and, even with our healing ability, would undoubtedly scar. I held his hand as a doctor stitched his face back up, and when she put gauze over the swollen mess to protect it from infection, his eyes didn't leave mine.

 _I believe I speak for us all when I say that there might be something more on his part._ Jaguar's words haunted my mind. Did Lion really have feelings for me? Wracking my brain produced nothing more than the affection I had received from my other siblings. In all honesty, I didn't want to think about it. I had declared myself an enemy to the one of the only people in the world who could tell me the truth. One of Mistress's hated adversaries occupied a cell somewhere in the bowels of Foot Headquarters. Possible love between me and a teammate was not an issue I wanted to deal with right now, not when an assault on the tower was imminent; the turtles would come for their brother. That was certain.

Lion frowned at me. "Why are you sad, Snow?" he asked quietly, the doctor having finished and stepped away.

I forced a smile onto my face and replied, "You got hurt, my brother. That is enough to make any one of us sad."

"You're too good to us, Snow," he said as he smiled wanly and squeezed my hand.

My forced smile fell to a more genuine one. "Now you're just being silly. Can he sit up?" I added to the doctor nearby.

Both Lion and the human stiffened, and I blinked in horror at what I had just voiced.

A question.

I had just asked a question to someone outside of the team.

The doctor recovered first and nodded. "Yes." It was all she said.

I helped my brother upright and could not met his eyes.

"What's wrong?" he whispered.

I stepped back. I had to put some distance between myself and this growing problem. "I…I'm just so confused right now. I don't know what to do."

Lion regarded me carefully, his amber eyes full of concern. "It's all right to not know," he counseled. "That's what Mistress is for."

"But I can't ask her the questions I have!" I shot back, the words harsh.

My fearless leader did not flinch and held my eyes. "Then I will ask them for you." He hopped off the bed and steadied himself for a moment before beckoning to me and disappearing out the door.

I followed him because I didn't have much choice, my heart and stomach twisting. I couldn't tell Lion. I couldn't ask Mistress. But I needed the information. I needed to know. I felt like my life balanced on this and I would fall off the edge one way or another. It was a matter of which direction.

Where did it all go so wrong?

"Lion?" I found myself asking.

"Yes?" He glanced at me sidelong.

I worried my lower lip and rallied: "Did you tell Mistress about my nightmares?"

His eyes widened in surprise, and he answered, "No. I figured you would tell her yourself. She is our mistress, our charge as well as our caretaker. Is that what this is about? I thought they'd gotten better?"

"They have," I replied slowly. "It's just…I don't know. I used to be so sure about everything but the nightmares feel so real."

Lion paused mid-stride and stared at me. "They're just dreams, Snow. You know that."

"I know." I didn't look at him as I said it. "But what if they're more?" The words came out unbidden and I could not take them back.

"More? What do you mean?"

It took everything I had to not fidget with my tail but I still curled it around my ankles and I still couldn't meet his eyes when I said, "What if they're memories?"

Lion's eyes bugged. "Memories of what? There's nothing before. We didn't exist."

I bit my tongue against what I wanted to say, to repeat what the purple-masked turtle had told me: we were human! "Then how do we exist?" I demanded instead. "Mistress never told us if we were born or made or what. Don't you want to know?"

"I am content with what my mistress tells me," he said with a scowl and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Aren't you?"

I hesitated, and Lion uncrossed his arms and stepped closer to me. Ducking his head to meet my gaze, he whispered, "You are content, right, Snow?"

Tears burned in my eyes and sobs built in my throat. "I'm so confused, Lion," I managed to say. "I don't know anymore."

Lion blinked slowly, processing my words and my body language. "Then let's set it to right," he said gently. "Hm? Is that okay? I don't want you to suffer, Snow. I want you to be happy." He wiped his soft thumbs against my wet cheeks.

I nodded against his hands and he embraced me, resting his chin on my head. My arms hung limply at my sides and I leaned into his uniformed chest, trying to stop my tears and failing.

"Come," he urged, pulling away. "Dry those eyes." He smiled at me, so tender and so wise. "Let's go talk with Mistress."

I sniffed and wiped my face, and if my eyes still stung when we found Mistress in the Dojo, I ignored them.

Lion and I both bowed when we entered the room, and Mistress, sparring with some unfortunate, human underling, kicked his legs out from under him and smiled at us.

"My pets," she cooed, striding toward us. I duly noted Jaguar, Lynx and White Tiger lazing on the dais and their heads snapped up to watch us. My spotted siblings looked worried. "Lion, I'm glad to see you on your feet."

"Thank you, Mistress," answered Lion. "If I may, with your permission? Snow Leopard has something to ask you."

Mistress turned surprised eyes on me, her mouth firming into a hard line. She stared at me for a second before whirling to the Foot ninja in the room. "Leave us!" she commanded.

Every last human scarpered as quickly and fearfully as rabbits.

Mistress's own ninja feared her.

Why hadn't I noticed this before?

"Come." She turned on her heel and bee-lined for the dais.

My siblings slid off the raised platform to the floor, and Lion and I crouched on the bottom-most step while Mistress settled herself in her chair.

"Snow Leopard?" she pressed.

I gulped and looked at Lion. I would pose my question to him and he would relay it to Mistress. That was how it worked, although up until this moment, all questions had been asked in private. Never had we had an audience.

I made myself stare at Lion and only at him, focussing on him. "I've been having nightmares recently and I'm worried about their validity." Pausing periodically so Lion could speak directly to Mistress, I recounted my dreams of a white and yellow house and unfamiliar faces. For some reason, I left out the dog and the subsequent scar. Behind Lion, I spotted Jaguar and Lynx who both tried to remain impassive.

"My question is, Lion, where did we come from before Mistress called us her Elite Five?"

Lion stuttered on my question and fell silent. I knew why. I hadn't ask _if_ we had come from something before. I had asked _where_. There was a huge difference, and I knew that I was taking a major risk here, asserting my own conclusion over what I had been told for what I'd thought had been all my life.

No one spoke. I was pretty sure no one breathed.

Then I did something very stupid: I looked away from Lion to Mistress.

She was enraged. Her jade eyes flashed, her entire face flushed red and her hands trembled in their position on her knees. Our eyes met and I knew I would be punished for insubordination and impertinence and heresy.

She inhaled, we all braced ourselves for the explosion, but then she relaxed. Her eyes calmed, her tone evened slowly and her hands stilled. Purposefully, she rose from her seat and knelt in front of me. She cupped my cheeks in her hands like she had done a million times before and smiled at me.

"You are young, Snow Leopard, and very curious about a number of things. Perhaps I was wrong to curb it."

Mistress had been wrong? The notion left me reeling.

"I will not lie to you. You came to us broken and alone. You all did," she added to my brothers and sister. "You were scared but I helped you not to be. I helped you to trust me and to become stronger, and you did. You are all so strong and courageous now. You are my best warriors, my guard and my protection, my Elite Five. You are better than what you were, and that is all that matters now."

"But I still want to know, Mistress," I whispered.

She chuckled and we all relished the sound. She stroked my head, fondling my ears. "I'll tell you someday, my Snow Leopard. I promise."

I stared up at her, my eyes widening.

Green eyes smiled at me as I died in green ooze, my hands – human hands – pounding on the glass to be let out.

I remembered. I remembered the last time she had made me a promise. She had promised me things before - she had promised me a home; but she had broken her promises, hadn't she? She'd never given me a home. She'd given me a, a cell…darkness and no food. She'd let people hit me and call me names. She'd let that awful audio system sound day in and day out with no reprieve, sirens and barking dogs and alarms that had kept me awake and frazzled.

She'd given me a death by green ooze and pain so intense I knew I had died from it. When I had awoken, I had seen her smiling face and her mouth had called me by a new name (What had been my old one? I couldn't remember!). She had introduced me to siblings and a place that I had come to call home but it hadn't been because I now knew she had broken her promise. I was not meant for home. She'd given me half-truths and possessive pats. She had broken her promise.

And I hated promises.

And now I knew why. Because I was not what I thought I was. I was something far different and she'd known it all this time and had kept it from me and was still keeping it from me. She had stolen me! I was going to steal myself back even if I had to gouge out her eyes to do it.

But not now. Not like that and not in front of the others (Were they even my siblings? Had I known them before I'd met them in our new shapes?), and so I had to smile back, purr and endure that hated hand which rubbed my favourite spot at the base of my ears.

"Thank you, Mistress," I answered quietly.

She let me go and my packmates followed me. They all rubbed shoulders with me, nuzzling me with fervent muzzles and relieved eyes.

"Was that sufficient?" Lion asked.

We had been trained not to lie and so I did not, not really. "I hope so," I responded with a smile. Then I yawned. "I think I'll go to bed, my siblings."

White Tiger purred. "It has been a long day for us all," he observed. "Goodnight."

We separated, though I was not surprised when Lynx shadowed me to my room.

"Snow," she began as we paused outside my door, "you didn't tell her everything."

I sighed. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because…I wasn't sure if she would be truthful."

My sister said nothing for a moment but then: "That's dangerous ground."

"I know."

"What are you going to do? You're not really going to bed, are you?"

I winced and admitted, "No. I'm…thinking of going to the roof." Not entirely a lie since I was technically thinking about it.

She scrutinized me, her grey eyes sharp. "Is it the turtle?"

The four words took me by surprise and I stared at her, my secret tumbling out of my mouth. "They know the truth about us, Lynx," I whispered. "They know we weren't… _this_ before." I gestured between us, taking in our shapes and black uniforms.

"You spoke with one," she commented just as quietly. "My guess is the purple one. You let him get away."

I said nothing but I nodded.

She exhaled sharply. "This is really dangerous ground, sister. I…I don't know if I can help you."

"You don't have to," I assured her. "Just go to bed."

"Mistress will find out. One way or another, she will and then what will you do?"

It was her sincerity and plea that made me say, "I'll leave. Before she finds out."

"Alone?"

I smiled wryly. "Yes, Lynx. I won't endanger you or the others. Whatever else we were, you are my sister and they are my brothers."

She was crying now, silent tears trickling down her brown, furry cheeks. I stepped closer and wiped them away gently, purring at her.

"Don't do anything too stupid," she begged, throwing her arms around my neck and hugging me tightly.

I returned the hug just as fiercely and said nothing. I hated promises, after all.

We parted, she sniffed and disappeared down the hall into her room, and I was left alone in the empty corridor to throw my life off the edge. I was making my choice. For what felt like the first time, I was doing something for myself.

I had never been more terrified.

-:-:-:-

I knew where they'd taken him and I walked like I had every right to be there. I passed Foot ninja who glanced my way but I ignored them. There was no guard outside the door and so I had no trouble as I entered the cell, and cell it was.

The turtle was chained by his wrists, his green toes not even brushing the floor. His beak was duct-taped shut and all his gear and weapons were gone, even his mask. I closed the door behind me, plunging the room into near-darkness. With my keen eye-sight, I was still able to see but more importantly, I heard his heartrate increase. He was conscious. Good.

"I will not hurt you," I whispered.

His eyes fluttered open: amber irises – like Lion's – flicked around the room, trying to find me in the dark.

I stepped closer and repeated, "I will not hurt you."

He held still until I was right beside him, my hands sliding up to the iron around his wrists, and then he shifted, setting the chains rattling and the scent of fresh blood searing up my nostrils.

"Easy," I urged, working at the lock that required no key but two hands and skill to undo. "Easy."

The one hand came free and I caught him carefully, though I heard his muffled whine as his still-chained arm jerked painfully. Stretching to my full height, I took his weight on my hip until I got the second lock, and then he slid down to the floor in a heap. He was still wounded, his leg bleeding and now both his wrists. I wasn't sure what had happened to his right arm but I didn't dare check right now. Pressing one hand into his plastron to keep him down, I peeled off the tape and heard him inhale greedily.

"Stay quiet and I'll get you out," I told him.

"Why should I trust ya?" he spat, hushed.

His accent was the same as the woman's whose cub I'd saved earlier.

"Because I could have killed two of your brothers, not to mention you, by now," I retorted. "And because I need you alive if I'm going to get help from your purple-banded sibling."

"What'd'ya want with Don?" he demanded.

"He knows I wasn't human. I need to figure out who I was and he's the only one who'll help me. Mistress stole me. I intend to steal myself back."

He lay there and watched me with narrowed eyes, and I knew we were wasting time but I needed to know that he wouldn't try to ditch me at his first chance – not that he could with that leg.

"Fine," he growled.

"Can you walk?"

He didn't answer me, just used his good arm to help haul himself to his feet. I let him be stubborn and we both inched to the door.

Before opening it, however, I brought my face to his so he could see me properly as I stared him down. "Be silent and follow me," I ordered.

He huffed, which I took for reluctant obedience, and we slipped into the hallway. I had fully anticipated fighting our way out with the amount of ninja I'd seen on my way here but there was no one, no one at all. The hall was completely deserted.

"This is either very good or very bad," I told him quietly, then motioned him onward.

In the full light of the corridor, I clearly saw his separated shoulder – geez, that must have been agony, hanging by his wrists like that – and the bloody splotches he left behind from his mildly-bleeding leg. That, I had to fix. Now.

Pushing him sideways into a small alcove, I hushed him before he could protest and undid my obi. I wound it around his wound and used the dangling ends to wipe his foot clean before tucking them in.

"You're leaving tracks," I explained, nodding to the crimson half-prints on the floor. His scent wafted around me, the scent of fear strong but waning, and I did my best to ignore it. If my packmates caught wind of the smell, however, we were doomed but it wasn't like I could tell him to keep a lid on it. We couldn't force ourselves to not be afraid.

Disregarding his flinch away from me, I dragged him to his feet. "Come on. We're nowhere near an exit."

An alarm suddenly flashed from a green light in the ceiling. There were no sound alarms on the upper floors which was where we were. These green, soundless alarms meant an intrusion and they were for the Elite Five to assemble.

"What's the light for?" the red-masked turtle wondered absently, his tone a fraction slurry. From blood loss? From pain?

"It's an alarm. Someone's broken in."

He smiled wanly. "Betcha ten bucks it's my bros."

"I have no money to bet with. Now be quiet."

He was slowing down but obviously trying to do his best to keep up. I knew we wouldn't make it out unseen and I so hated being right sometimes.

"Snow?"

I slammed to a halt, the turtle bumping into me but wisely choosing to not comment when he undoubtedly spotted Lynx.

"Snow, intruders have broken into Mistress's rooms. She's called us to…" She trailed off, finally noticing the turtle behind me. Her stone-grey eyes widened. "Snow Leopard, what are you doing?"

I stood my ground. Despite our most recent conversation, I wasn't sure if she wouldn't attack the prisoner I was trying to free. "I'm doing something stupid." I lifted my chin, steeling my gaze, and replied, "What are you going to do?"

She stared at me, aghast, for several long seconds. Too long. Where was the rest of the pack? Behind me, the turtle shifted, and I suddenly wished I'd thought to locate his weapons.

"I guess this means you're leaving." She didn't say it as a question.

I nodded. "Yes." I barely managed to get the single word out of my throat.

"I…I wish I could go with you."

Now it was my turn to stare. She was crying again, looking at me like I was something important to her and something she'd miss. It was a testament of how scared she was that she said those words. She didn't dare come with me, fearing a future without the safety of the pack and Mistress, but her words comforted me.

I stepped right up to her and for the second time tonight, purred at her and pressed my forehead to hers.

"Be careful," she begged.

I didn't dare promise because it was not something I could guarantee, but I did smile at her. "Arigato, imoto."

She chuckled wetly. "Ane" was her farewell to me. Then she was gone, racing away down the hall to aid her mistress.

"Karai took my phone," the turtle said, interrupting the silence and my heartache. "That's why my brothers went ta where the signal led."

"We're not going to Mistress's rooms," I said sharply, continuing on down the corridor. "Scores of Foot ninja will be there, along with my packmates. You would not live to see dawn if we went there."

"Then what?" he demanded. At least he was following me and not choosing his own way. "Ya may've fooled Don but ya haven't fooled me. We can't trust ya, not with our lives and not with our lair's location, so where are ya gonna go, huh?"

"Anywhere if it gets me away from here!" I hissed.

"Ya sure came to hate the Foot pretty quickly," he scoffed.

"I don't have to explain myself to you, turtle. And I'm pretty sure I said something about you being silent!"

I knew the reptile glared at me but at least he snapped his mouth shut.

Too late.

"YOU!"

Every nerve in my body shot through with fear that instantly gave way to a burst of adrenaline. I pivoted and used my hands to steady myself on the tiled floor, pushing off and gaining momentum. Lion was here. Why was he here? Had he tracked us? Had he seen Lynx? Questions, questions, questions burned in my brain and I could not voice them because of the terror that suddenly blocked my throat.

Lion had the turtle – he looked so small against him, a green cub to Lion's golden mass – by his bad shoulder. Teeth as long as my fingers were imbedded in the unprotected flesh, and I heard something _tear_.

I was on top of him before I thought to move. It was like the man in the alley all over again but this time, my adversary was not some fragilely-constructed human. He was my fearless leader, strong and fast and my brother. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I landed on him, biting and clawing. "Get off him!" I screamed.

"Snow?" Lion twisted, dislodging me skillfully, and stood.

Rage painted my vision red. His confusion spurred me. His idiocy and naivety, I hated it all. He caught my wrist before my claws could rake his face.

"Snow Leopard, what have you done?" He glanced between me and the turtle and back to me. "You're _betraying_ us? You're siding with him, _them_? _Why_?"

I lashed my tail into his face, distracting him, and he let me go. "Why?" I spat. "Mistress _lied_ to us! She's been lying to us this whole time!"

Lion's amber eyes flashed. "Why would she? After everything she's done for us…"

"She has broken every single promise she's ever made! She's lied to us from the beginning, Lion! We were human and she stole that from us!"

He stared at me, not hearing me. "You have betrayed her, betrayed the pack. You've betrayed _who you are_!"

"I don't want to be who I am!" I screamed, and I kicked out and bit at the same time.

My brother roared, and I attacked in vengeful earnest, my claws aiming at his face, chest and shoulders – anything within reach. My feet and hands were silver blurs as they delivered kick after slash, and when he miss-stepped, I was there to hook my leg around his. He fell with a crash that shook the ground and I helped him stay down by punching him in the head. His amber eyes rolled up and he went limp. I barely yanked the turtle out of the way in time to avoid being crushed and smothered.

There was blood everywhere, his eyes were closed and I didn't know what to do.

In my human-driven panic, my instinct was calm and I leaned over him and gently licked the wound, getting rid of what, I wasn't sure. The tangy taste of iron flicked my tongue back over my muzzle, skimming over my chops as a dog would at the sight of a meaty bone. I shook my head and kept licking, cleaning it the best I could in the only way I knew how and ignoring how hungry I was. At least he was still breathing.

I finished quickly and _so carefully_ picked him up. He was solid despite his size. I couldn't look at Lion as I stepped over him to the window that lay just around the corner. The adjacent buildings on this side were close enough that I could land the jump. I'd never done it before but now was not the time to doubt myself, not when I held a life in my arms.

I made sure to get a good run-up. I made sure to take the brunt of impact on my shoulder, shielding the body in my arms from the shattering glass. I felt the cuts and they only stung more in the high wind that whipped snow in every direction.

I'd forgotten about the blizzard.

It would be over soon, though, I knew. It was just a short-lived squall, but it was still cold. And if I could feel the chill through my thick fur, then I wondered how the unconscious, cold-blooded mutant would fare.

We made it to the next roof and I took off in a full sprint, slinging the turtle across my back and wrapping my hands around his limp arms to keep him there. I knew his brothers were back and behind me but I didn't dare… I couldn't face Mistress after everything I'd done: I'd attacked Lion and I'd broken her prisoner out. I was a traitor to the Foot clan. I had no home, no family and only fragmented memories of my past. As I ran through the driving wind, the ice crystals stinging my eyes, I wished. I wished so hard that the turtle I currently carried would live because he was now my only ticket to another life. If he died, I could not face his purple-masked brother.

Don. The red-masked turtle had called him Don.

I wondered what his name was. Mistress had never told us their names. I suddenly wanted him to wake up so I could ask. Questions were forbidden but…I wanted to know his name.

After a mile of jumping roofs, I slid down a fire escape into an alley. The turtles lived below ground. I didn't think I could find them but it was probably a little warmer than up there in the wind and snow. Luck was with me: there was a short tunnel, just off from the access ladder, that was dry and not as drafty. Our breath still formed clouds in the air; nevertheless, I laid him down and curled up around him, tossing my tail over him as an extra layer. I was warm-blooded and a creature of snow and ice. I was made for this weather, former human or not.

It was as I lay down that I noticed there was no fresh blood from his wrecked shoulder. Had the bleeding stopped so quickly? I peered down at him, my keen eyesight unfailing, and suddenly wondered if I was seeing things. The teeth marks in his shoulder were only small pock marks, perfectly healed scars. I stared and stared and could not stop staring. Had I known I could do this? Had I known I could heal? Mistress had never mentioned it, neither had any of my packmates. Any injuries we had sustained had always been seen to by human doctors. I was pretty sure that was the first wound I'd ever nursed, licking it as a normal animal would. Perhaps it was part of my…mutation? Perhaps I was not alone in this and the others could do it, too?

I sighed and settled my chin on my paws. More questions. Hooray.

At least I knew that the turtle would survive his injuries. If I could keep him warm, he would live.

I would see to his wounded leg in the morning. For now, I yawned and closed my eyes. It would be good to sleep, if only for a few hours. I'd had a long day and tomorrow would doubtlessly be just as long.

-:-

Please review.

 **Translations:**

imoto - little, younger sister

ane - big, older sister


	11. Chapter 11: Separated

**Rhodesincolumbus:** Thank you so much! I love that you love Raph. He's a very special guy in this story, definitely evolving in a way I didn't expect him to. :) Here's your update! Thank you for reviewing! Also, thank you for reviewing "Black Eyes"! I'm glad you enjoyed it! :D

 **lizzybudd:** Such a wonderfully long review - how I live for them! Thank you! There was a lot that I wanted to get across before the crap hit the fan, and Snow Leopard remembering her last moments as a human was definitely one of them. I knew that I couldn't have her 'go nuts' on Karai because she couldn't fight off all four of her siblings at once. She knew that and so she waited for the right angle to make her rebellion known. Raph is going to be fine, don't worry! :) Haha! I love that you loved that part about her getting hungry. It was fun for me to write (a bit of a shark-frenzy mentality, if you will). I felt so badly for Lion. He was so shocked and confused, and he will definitely take Snow Leopard's betrayal hard. (He's not dead, by the way.) This next chapter is mostly from Raph's perspective so we're going to get a firsthand account of what's going through his mind when he wakes up. ;) Thank you, thank you so much! It is what is but I'm enjoying this story, too, now that it's picked up. I still have you lovely people reviewing and there are still people who are reading so that's a comfort. Thank you for reviewing!

 _Chapter 11: Separated_

Leo glared up at Karai. He had never hated the woman. He had sympathised with her, even worked with her when they'd first met. Then, she had understood honour. Then, she had been a potential ally. But when they had snuck through her window, following the tracking signal on their brother's phone, she had stepped out of her hiding place and laughed. Laughed, tossed two red-wrapped sai tied together with a bloodied, red mask at their feet, and wiggled Raphael's shell-cell, like it was all just some game to her.

Not at all honorable.

"He's not here," she'd sung-song. "Just me. Well, me and my guard."

Now she smirked at him, and Leo found himself hating her as she held her hand in the air, about to give the signal for her precious guard to attack. It was strange that there were only three of them, but the first two had arrived together and the third separately so maybe they were spread throughout the tower.

If she'd made the absent two hurt Raph…

"Come now, Leonardo," she simpered. "Your end is inevitable. You have no chance against my pets, and I have all of my father's Foot ninja outside the door awaiting my command. She smiled and Leo wanted to punch all her teeth out.

The third cat – the Lynx – shifted, her eyes wide with something Leo didn't understand, while the two males beside her narrowed their eyes in anticipation.

Beside him, Don and Mikey were still and silent, their grips firm on their weapons.

"Don't play with your food, Karai," retorted Leo. "We're kind of on a time-crunch."

She laughed, her eyes jade-hard. "As you wish, bane of my father. I will keep you alive until he returns from his trip to Tokyo. He will be so happy to watch you die."

Leo didn't reply and she scowled. "So serious!" she mocked. "Well then. I won't keep you in suspension."

The muscles in her arm tensed – the cats leaned forward – but her arm didn't fall because a voice over an intercom system interrupted: _Mistress Karai, the turtle called Raphael has escaped._

On his left, Leo barely noticed Mikey grin wide and hiss, "Yes!"

"Escaped?" Apparently it was a two-way system since Karai's enraged question was immediately answered.

 _Yes, Mistress. It appears Snow Leopard aided him. Lion is also down._

…

"WHAAAAT!?"

"That's our cue!" Leo ordered his brothers. "Run. Now."

They moved in synchronisation, darting for the window which had been their point of entry. Sheathing his katana, Leo remembered to grab his brother's weapons.

"BRING ME THEIR HEADS!"

But they were too high up and too far away from buildings for the cats to safely jump after them. Thank their training that the turtles had their grappling hooks. Leo rolled his eyes when Mikey let out an enthusiastic "Wahooooo!" as they swung down and across the wide street and landed without harm.

They took off in a sprint, jumping roofs.

Donnie caught his attention. "Leo!" he shouted, pointing to the side and up. "Look!"

Leo looked and saw it instantly: a broken window. The close building on that side could offer a safe landing if the jumper could leap thirty feet. The blue-masked turtle nodded and took the lead, rounding Saki Tower to the adjacent business block. The snow and wind were blowing hard, making him squint, but he spotted half-covered pawprints that led away from Foot Headquarters.

"Leo, we got company!" Mikey warned.

Leo's heart leaped into his throat. The cats were fast. He remembered Lion jumping on him, having caught up to him. Their head start wouldn't count for shell if they couldn't outrun them. "Go!" he commanded.

"What about Raph?" demanded Donnie as they fled over the roofs.

Leo bit the inside of his cheek. "We have to trust that Snow Leopard got him out. We can't help him if we're dead, Don!" he added when his genius brother opened his mouth to protest.

"They're gaining!" shouted Mikey.

"Into the sewers! They can't track us down there!"

Leo led his brothers down to the nearest alley and held the cover while they slid in. A glance up told him the cats weren't on them just yet but something crawling in his gut knew they were closing in far too quickly for comfort. With a ninja twist, he slipped into the manhole, and the cover clanged shut.

"Don't stop," he encouraged them. "Come on. If they do follow, we can lose them. Their noses are strong, right, Donnie?"

"Yeah?" In the half-light, Don's chocolate-coloured eyes looked black.

"Good. Just imagine how this place would reek."

Mikey grinned. "Brilliant, dude!"

Don said nothing and Leo knew he wasn't overly convinced the cats wouldn't follow. That, and they now had no way to find Raphael. His phone had been a decoy, he was with a possible-ally/former-enemy who was unpredictable (and carnivorous), and Leo knew from Donnie that Raph had been hurt in the fight with the White Tiger. The whole situation was just getting worse by the minute. The upside to it all was that Leo couldn't sense any pursuit; the cats had not followed them below ground.

Nevertheless, "We'll take the long way home," he said. "Just to make sure, and tomorrow, we'll search the tunnels. We'll search them all if we have to."

His younger brothers nodded, grim determination in their eyes, and they continued to run through the muck and water, their breaths streaming puffs that were quickly left behind.

-:-:-:-

When Raph woke up, he was so warm and comfortable that he almost didn't immediately notice his aching body. Almost. Hammers attacked the tender innards that were his brain, and a soft groan escaped his teeth as he tried to roll over only to find his beak suddenly buried in…

Wait, what was this?

Blinking his bleary eyes open and lifting a hand, he stroked it and, holy cats, it was so soft! And thick! And _soft_! Barely visible in the dark, it was silver and darker grey with maybe a bit of white and it had a peculiar pattern of black and gold spots. He blinked and blinked again to get a better look, trying to clear his vision because it was everywhere, and then he became aware that this something under his hand encircled him and was _breathing_.

Then he remembered.

He had gotten captured, beaten up and chained. He had been rescued by the Snow Leopard Don had been trying to contact for the last few days. She had _saved him_.

Now where were they? Also, where were his brothers? He knew deep in his gut that his brothers had broken into Saki Tower to get him but they'd been led to the wrong spot because Karai – _Karai_ – had taken his shell-cell and Don had no doubt tracked it. He hoped they'd gotten out okay. He hoped his brothers were all right.

But where was he?

By the smell, he and his…rescuer? Captor? ...were in the sewers. Was he at home? That didn't seem likely because then why was he lying on the cold ground? He could feel it now, the chill from the concrete beneath him, and he shivered.

The mountain of fur around him shifted and he suddenly found himself staring into grey-green eyes set in a wide face with whiskers longer than Sensei's.

That was a predator. He was nose-to-nose with a predator. His heartrate spiked.

He was going to die.

"Be calm, turtle. I will not hurt you." Her voice was soft, a low purr that both relaxed and terrified him. He caught sight of the points of her fangs in her mouth, though she didn't reveal them fully when she spoke. Was she purposefully trying to not freak him out?

It was kind of, sort of, not really working.

He abruptly realised that she had actually spoken to him and he hadn't said anything back. A quiet grunt fell out of his mouth and he cursed his inability to be articulate.

She shifted again, sitting up, but she kept her long and thick tail curled around him to ward off the cold. That was thoughtful. "I need to take a look at your leg," she said quietly.

"What for? It feels fine," he protested automatically – lied.

To his surprise, she answered his question: "It might get infected. It needs cleaning."

Raph didn't care if it got infected. Okay, maybe he cared a little, but Don had all the disinfectants at home and, sure, his leg hurt like shell right now, but he didn't want her near his injured leg.

She stared at him while he thought, her expression neutral. It was freaky.

"Yer not gonna," he said as firmly as he could, sitting up and drawing away.

He suddenly found himself on his shell, one massive paw spread across his chest and pinning him down. Her face was an inch from his and her teeth were very there when she pulled her lips back.

"I was not asking," she hissed. "You are my ticket to freedom. Without you alive and reasonably intact, I have no chance at getting back what Mistress stole from me." Her poisonous eyes seared into his and she finished with "You have no choice."

Keeping one paw on him to keep him down, she used her free hand to unwind the now-ruined, black obi. Raph sucked in a breath to hide his pain but, geez, it hurt! He tried to focus on something else and decided that the appendage on his plastron was a good place to start.

It was massive. Like, he knew some big cats had big paws for swimming and walking on snow and stuff but looking at it now, right up close with it, it was almost as large as his face. And it wasn't a paw. It was a hand. The top was completely covered in the same coloured fur as the rest of her: silver with black and gold spots (Raph knew there was an actual word for the spots but he couldn't remember it right now). Her claws were sheathed and he suddenly wondered how long they were. He recalled Leo's wounded shoulders just over two weeks ago and involuntarily shuddered at how close he was to being inflicted with similar wounds.

His preoccupation was interrupted by a very wet, very rough something sliding over his cut leg.

"OW!" he shouted, trying to jerk away.

"Stop thrashing!" she commanded, applying more pressure to his chest and effectively stilling him. "You're making this more difficult."

"What're ya doin'?" he demanded. She really needed to stop pinning him down; it was demeaning.

Again, she answered, "I'm licking it."

"Yer _what_!?" he shrieked. She was licking him? Goosebumps crawled over his entire body and he really wanted to take off his whole skin. He felt violated.

"I'm licking it. I possess a healing ability. Check your shoulder and wrists," she added calmly, returning to her task.

It was so hard to ignore that rough tongue pass over his cut again and again, but he finally managed to glance over at his left shoulder and did a double take.

His separated shoulder, thanks to the White Tiger, had also been bitten by a very big Lion He'd passed out from sheer pain – he'd thought it had been torn off. All that remained were large pock marks dotting in a neat line around the joint. He was scarred for life. But he should have been dead from the bite. His wrists, which had been rubbed raw by metal cuffs, were blood-free and whole and painless.

He lifted his head off the ground to eye the Snow Leopard. She had stopped licking and now sat and watched as his flesh seemed to weave itself back together. It felt like cockroaches dancing over his skin which did not make him feel better but it wasn't sore anymore. She'd really done it. She really could heal.

"Can I sit up now?" he asked, trying not to be rude.

She answered by removing her hand and sitting back on her haunches. Raph knew in an instant that Donnie would be intrigued by her anatomy. Her structure alone was incredible, able to be upright like a human and yet also able to crouch like a normal cat. He wondered if she was double-jointed or something to allow for her to sit like she did.

With her being so far away and her tail curled around her carefully-arranged paws (hands?), he felt the brunt of mid-November's chill and shivered violently, his teeth chattering.

"Come," she said, winding around him and helping him stand. "We should get moving since you're no longer in pain."

That was true. Even his headache was gone. However, "Where're we gonna go?" he asked, using the wall to steady himself and testing out his leg. It was fine and he walked forward, the cat right beside him after fetching the obi from the ground. Oh, right. The Elite Five (Four now?) could track them if they'd found the bloodied sash. "I can't take ya home with me." Was that even true now? She had rescued him and saved his life and healed him! "Where're ya gonna go?"

She glanced away. He noticed that she crouched in a way that she was shorter than him. She didn't seem to mind but he found it odd. Maybe she was just trying to keep him warm? "I don't know," she replied. "I was hoping to speak with your brother, Don. He said I used to be human. I want to know what else he knows about me."

"What d'ya mean? Doncha remember bein' human?"

"Not really." She shrugged. "I get flashes sometimes, dreams. That's how I figured out Don was telling the truth." She bared her right arm to him and used her fingers to part the fur (Raph was sorely tempted to stroke it but he refrained). Beneath the thick coat, Raph could see a faint but very _there_ scar that looked similar to his newly-decorated shoulder: teeth marks. "I remember this. I remember getting bitten by a dog when I was a child, before I was…this." She dropped her arm and her gaze. "I was hoping your Don could help me."

Raph exhaled sharply. Don would help anyone, he knew. He and Mikey were alike in that, plowing ahead with an optimism that was not conducive to their lifestyle as mutants living in sewers. Both of his brothers believed the best in people automatically and only a harsh reality check would set them straight.

He knew this could all be an elaborate setup. These creatures were capable of thought which meant they were capable of cunning which meant deception which could mean death for him and his family. But there was one thing bothering him: she hadn't asked him any questions. If she really was an enemy sent as a spy to win their trust and confidence, then why wasn't she asking him his name, softening him up? Why didn't she ask if he was in pain? Come to think of it, a lot of her statements could have been phrased as questions – she hadn't even asked the generic 'okay' or 'all right' to ease his mind about her actions. She easily could have said _I'm going to clean your leg, okay?_ But she hadn't. Why? She had answered, so far truthfully, any question he had asked but never bothered with any of her own.

"How come ya don't ask questions?" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, let alone give them proper thought. He was grateful for the darkness and his dark skin as he blushed under her sudden gaze.

"I am not allowed to ask questions of anyone outside of the pack," she said bluntly.

She was…not _allowed_? The idea that she could be a spy flew out the window. It was just gone. It added to her sob story, sure, but if she was a spy, she would have to be able to ask questions. Because she couldn't, what conclusion could he draw? That, and only Karai would've been that controlling of her own bodyguards. Raph suddenly remembered that Don had said that the Snow Leopard was seventeen. She was a kid! What kid wasn't allowed to ask questions?

He made sure to choose his next words with care. "Well, since yer not part of the pack anymore, ya know, because ya saved my shell and all, ya can ask me all the questions ya like. I can't be sure I'll answer 'em all but I'll answer what I can."

She regarded him, scrutinized him. Her eyes were uncannily luminescent in the dark tunnels. _Could she see in the dark?_ He'd save that question for later.

She opened her mouth and paused. She closed it again, looked away, looked back at him and then down again.

Shell, was asking one question really so hard? He knew from Don's research that she'd been with the pack for four years and trained under Karai for just as long (she'd been thirteen!). He wondered if, under the black Foot uniform, he would find scars that were not the result of a rogue dog's teeth.

He heard her inhale, saw her open her mouth – shell, those teeth! – and then she whispered in a voice like fine silk, "What is your name?"

All the questions in the world to ask and she asked for his name? It was at the same time disconcerting because it had taken her so long to ask, and humbling because she wanted to know who he was and it was her first question to anyone aside from her cat-friends.

He imagined himself as Mikey in this moment, laid-back and easy-going. He could smile. Raph was perfectly capable of smiling but he just didn't do it much. It didn't fit well with his punch-first-ask-later persona. His bubbly, little brother was a smiler and his smiles were reassuring and invigorating all at once. He tried to smile and found his mouth obeyed without hesitation. He smiled at her and answered, "My name is Raphael."

Her eyes widened but then her whiskers lifted and her eyes narrowed in an expression Raph had seen Klunk wear when he was petted or fed on time. It was a cat's smile. "It is nice to meet you, Raphael," she said slowly, still smiling.

"Same," he said automatically but then he faltered. "Uh, I don't know yer name."

The smile vanished, her gaze fell to inspect the floor. "I was called Snow Leopard. I don't… I don't know any other name."

She couldn't even remember her name from when she was human. In his head, he knew the difficulty of finding out who she was just went through the roof, but in his heart, he ached for her and he chose to say, "Don't worry 'bout it. My little brother Mikey loves ta name things. Doncha worry, he'll find ya somethin' you'll like."

"But…I am not going to your home."

She didn't say it as a question.

Geez, this was going to take some getting used to.

"Oh, right, um, yeah, well…the thing is… I was thinkin' that…maybe we could?" She wasn't a spy, she couldn't be a spy. Spies asked questions. Spies didn't look and act like a beaten pet. Snow Leopard was no spy and he said so. "What I mean is that ya don't really have anywhere else ta go, and if yer runnin' from the Foot then, well, maybe we _can_ help ya? No one's more 'gainst the Foot than us so, um, yeah."

"You…want to…help me." Again, not phrased as a question.

"Payback," he said. "Ya helped me so I'll take ya ta someone who can help ya in return. Don'll know what ta do."

She stared at him for a long moment then once more eyed her feet. "Thank you," she said at last.

"Don't thank me just yet. We gotta get home first and then I gotta persuade the family ta even let ya in through the door."

"I see. I am an enemy."

"Were," he corrected. "Ya _were_ an enemy. Don believes ya and I didn't at first but no enemy would sacrifice what ya did ta save me and stuff so I believe ya now. Mikey won't mind ( _I hope,_ he thought. She had tried to kill him once) but it's Leo and Sensei we gotta worry about."

She frowned suddenly, halting, and Raph stopped, too. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I… I heard that name before. Leo," she clarified before Raph could ask. "The little one I almost killed, your brother in the orange mask, he had yelled for Leo."

Raph rubbed the back of his neck, hating that she was dredging up that memory right now. He hadn't seen what had happened but Mikey had told them. He'd still been shaking when they'd gotten home, and Leo bleeding from the Lion's claws hadn't helped at all. Checking on Leo the following morning, he'd found his eldest and younger brothers in Leo's bed. Mikey had been scared to death, had shouted Leo's name as his last hope. It was little wonder that the youngest had sought out the eldest to ease probable nightmares.

"I'm sorry." The words jerked him out of his reverie and he looked down into icy eyes. "I almost killed your brother that night. I didn't mean to remind you of it."

"It's fine," Raph said dismissively, walking forward again. She kept with him, her thick fur his only protection right now. He didn't even have his weapons or pads or mask. Curse Karai!

"It's not. I will apologise but apologies won't fix what I did."

Raph didn't say anything. What could he say? She hadn't hurt Mikey, not really, but she had meant to. Could that kind of behaviour and training really be reversed over two weeks? Don thought so and so did he since he was leading her in the right direction for home but still…four years was a long time.

"We'll figure it out," he decided to say. He really, really hoped they would.

They kept walking and Raph got slower and slower. He didn't know why; he wasn't in pain and his body was whole, but his eyelids drooped lower and lower and his feet dragged more and more…

A powerful arm wound around his waist and pulled him gently to one side of the junction they were in. "Sit, Raphael," Snow Leopard said. "You're exhausted."

"Just for a few minutes," he said, lying down and closing his eyes. "Gotta keep movin'…"

"Later," she encouraged, curling around him and instantly warming his limbs. "Just sleep."

He did.

-:-

Please review.


	12. Chapter 12: Found

**Guest:** My computer was stupid and didn't register your review for Chapter 10! I'm so sorry! I'm beyond thrilled you're loving it! Thank you for reviewing!

 **lizzybudd:** Literally and figuratively fluffy. Hahaha! Yeah, Raph wasn't really in a position to protest too much and Snow Leopard's actions (saving his butt, healing him, admitting to not being able to ask questions) hit him hard. He can't imagine her as an enemy much anymore so yay! By the way, that scene with Karai and Scarlett was stupendously AWESOME! (Rude, rude cliffhanger!) I had to have Raph wake up surrounded by fur. It was too funny to pass up, plus I enjoyed his moment of weakness with him stroking it. A grossed out Raph is a funny Raph. :) Your recent review was perfectly detailed! You commented on plenty of stuff! Yay for long reviews! Thank you for reviewing!

 **Rhodesincolumbus:** Awww! Thank you! I'm loving Raph, too. I was quite worried initially that he'd be more of a jerk but he's doing very well in coming around. Funny that you mention Splinter... ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **TMNT-Queen:** Thank you so much! Just remember that good writing comes with practice so keep at it, my dear! We'll definitely get some reactions from everyone involved. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest (QeenDove):** Welcome to "The Fifth Mutant"! It warms my heart to see new reviewers for this story! Thank you for loving Raph's reaction! I really wanted him to have a mild freak-out. I apologise for your sore sides and I hope you're feeling better. :) Leo's and Splinter's reactions are in this chapter. Thank you for reviewing!

 **BlingThing:** Welcome to "The Fifth Mutant"! I love to see new followers and reviewers for this story, especially when it hasn't been doing so well as compared to my other fics. Not a lot of people like OCs, apparently. *shrugs* Oh well. I'm happy you're here, though! Eleven chapters in one sitting? You are dedicated, and I thank you! Sorry about turning Paige into a cat. I just didn't want her to be a turtle because then I feared she'd fall for one of the guys and this isn't a romance (I despise romance stories). Also, Karai wanted apex predators as her guard, and wildcat species are some of my favourite animals, and I wanted there to be tension between Snow Leopard and the guys because she's a freaking predator... the list goes on. I have lots of reasons why she's not a turtle; nevertheless, I apologise for disappointing you. Thank you for thinking my characters are so likeable and believable. I've been doing my best to incorporate animalistic behaviour into the Elite Five and I'm happy that you find the grooming amusing. :) Sorry about the hands/paws thing. I'd completely forgotten about it until much later and there hadn't really been an opportunity to include it without it sounding strange amidst the rest of the chapter. We'll get a good look at how Snow Leopard looks through the guys' eyes soon, I promise. :) Thank you for commenting on the brainwashing! I disturbed a lot of people in that first chapter because I actually did a bit of research on the Internet and used some scenes from TV shows as inspiration. It's not funny, but I forgot about the shock collar until I went back to read through Chapter 1 again. I figure to use my error sometime in the future. *evil grin* As for the healing, thank you! It was either she had this hidden ability to heal or Raph died, and I didn't want to kill Raph. Mikey will come around eventually, don't worry! ;) Wow, that was a really long reply but you commented on so much that I had to! Also, thanks for the grammar and spelling compliment. I had to change tenses earlier because it was driving me insane to write in the present. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Mikey has the biggest heart. Don't you worry. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 _Chapter 12: Found_

Raphael was asleep within seconds of lying down. Settling around him to keep him warm, I wondered if it had something to do with the healing. I didn't know much about it – I didn't anything about it – but some obscure thing in my brain muttered something even more obscure about how healings probably left people tired. Something to do with energy? How did I know that?

I sighed. Questions, questions, questions. At least I was out of the pack now. I could ask my questions if I wanted. Only…it would take some getting used to. I wasn't accustomed to speaking openly. I hadn't even told my packmates about meeting with Don. Lynx had figured it out but Lynx was smart, smarter even than Jaguar and Lion when she wanted to be. I missed her. I missed my sister and brothers. I missed their scent and their kind eyes and their bodies next to mine when we bunked together which was rarer now that we were older. But in the early days of our training, we'd slept in one, big nest. It had been a sad day for us all when Mistress had separated us to our rooms after our first year together. We had gotten used to it, eventually. Asking questions would be no different. At least, I hoped it wouldn't be much different.

I didn't think I would ever get used to missing my siblings. That pain, I knew, would never go away and neither would the guilt. Lion was right: I had betrayed them. I had done it for myself which was selfish but there hadn't been much choice. My curiosity had gotten the better of me, and after meeting with Don that first time and wanting to go back to talk to him, to know, I had made my decision without knowing it. I had betrayed them the moment I hadn't rendered that turtle unconscious and dragged his shell back to Mistress.

I looked down at the turtle slumbering against my stomach. Raphael. His breathing was even and deep, his hands pillowing his head. He shivered a little, goosebumps popping up on his scaly arms at a draft, and I curled tightly around him, gently manoeuvering his limbs so that he was a small ball in my torso's curve. I carefully laid an arm over his body, drawing him closer still, and tucked my tail right up to my nose. It was a miracle that I could completely envelop this mutant reptile with my body but I doubted he would complain. He was cold-blooded and so he needed to stay warm. I was his only option if he didn't want to freeze to death.

I smiled to myself and laid my head down. I was exhausted, having slept only a couple of hours last night. I'd kept careful watch over my charge after that, listening for the moment when his breathing changed to signal wakefulness. I'd been so worried, hoping against hope that he would pull through because he was my only chance. He was also Don's brother. Don, who had been kind and friendly when he'd had every right not to be, would have missed his brother if anything had happened to him. I missed my siblings; I knew Raphael's family missed him, too. So I did not sleep, exhausted though I was. I would not sleep until Raphael was safe at his home.

A sudden noise snapped my head up. My nostrils flared as I took in every scent. The tunnels reeked with garbage and sewage and who knew what else but over everything, on the draft that wafted down the north tunnel, was a familiar scent: mutant turtle.

My keen ears picked up the sound of feet and I listened hard, closing my eyes. They were moving slowly and I could make out definitely two pairs of boots heading down that north tunnel toward my intersection.

"…eally cold," said a faraway-but-steadily-getting-closer voice.

"I know, Mikey. That's why we've got extra stuff. He's going to need it when we find him."

"Cumbersome things." My ears pricked at that. I thought I'd heard only two footsteps but there was a third. "I don't envy humans at all."

"I know, Don."

Don! Don was here! I twitched, moving to get up, but remembered the sleeping Raphael just in time. Circles of light bounced off the tunnel's far wall: flashlights. They were getting closer. They'd find me. They'd find us. We'd be all right. Raphael would be safe.

"Uh, guys," the voice that belonged to Mikey ventured. "I'm getting that feeling again."

"I sense it, too," said the not-Don's voice. Who was it again? Leo! That's right. Leo. "What do you guys think? Keep going or turn back?"

"We know Snow Leopard broke him out," Don said, his voice pitched so low I had to strain to catch it. Thank goodness for these echoing tunnels. "Maybe she's…"

They had continued down the tunnel, despite the conversation and their fear. Well, Don had; I couldn't see the others just yet. Don's flashlight fell on me so it was hard for me to tell exactly who it was, but I spotted the purple bandana before I was half-blinded.

"Holy shell!" he exclaimed.

I ducked my head, trying not to hiss but geez, that had hurt! A click met my ears and I lifted my head slowly to find that Don had switched off his light. The purple bandana was the only thing I recognised because he had a toque on his head, a scarf around his neck, and he was wearing a winter jacket, pants, boots and mittens. I suddenly wondered just how cold it was for the turtles but had no chance to ask.

"S-Snow Leopard?" he stuttered. He didn't move towards me but I saw his brothers, dressed as he was in winter gear, now flanking him with their flashlights pointed to the ground. Leo had his left hand reaching back for a katana.

I inclined my head and ignored the instinct to charge at the imminent threat. "Hello, Don," I answered calmly.

"You know my name? How'd you find out?"

I unwound myself slowly, revealing the precious bundle of scales and shell. "Raphael told me."

"Raph!" All three rushed forward about two feet before obviously remembering my proximity, as well as my status as a carnivore, and stopped.

Leo was the turtle with the blue bandana. His navy eyes were intense as he leaned forward but stayed where he was. "What's wrong with him?" he demanded.

"Nothing is wrong with him. He's tired." I didn't really want to reveal the fact that I could heal just yet. Later. I would tell them later.

Turning my head back to Raphael, I gently nudged him awake. "Raphael," I whispered. "Wake up. We have company."

The turtle grumbled, shifted and blinked open his eyes. He saw me first and then he looked over in the direction I nodded to.

"Guys!" he croaked, wiggling out of my grip and stumbling to his feet.

I stayed where I was and watched the reunion. The brothers embraced happily, arms slung around shoulders and gentle hands cupped cheeks.

It was obvious to me that Raphael loved their attention and loved that they didn't appear any the worse for wear from facing off with my mistress last night but he put on a grouchy face and lightly punched Mikey in the shoulder.

"Here, Raphie, before you catch cold," said Don, and he draped a jacket over the bare shoulders and set a toque on his brother's head.

Sudden movement nearby snapped my head around and Leo froze in his tracks, his hands up. Both hands. But that did nothing to reassure me since his katana were now within easier reach but then he said, "I just want to thank you" and I relaxed.

Nevertheless, I stood up but carefully remained crouched so that I was lower than him. "You are welcome."

"It's…It's nice to finally meet you," he continued.

Nice that my packmates and I weren't trying to tear his head off, more like, but I didn't say that. I nodded respectfully and stayed silent.

"Hey, Leo! Snow Leopard! Come on! I wanna go home!"

Everyone stilled at Raphael's words. His brothers stared at him.

"What?" Mikey gasped. "Raph, what?"

"You can't be serious!" snapped Leo.

Oh, yes. It was very nice to meet me.

Amber eyes held their own against the navy ones of whom I now suspected to be the eldest brother. "Actually, Leo, I'm dead serious. Snow Leopard saved my shell. She's run away from the Foot. She needs help."

"You're not… Absolutely not. No way. No offense," the blue-banded turtle added to me and backed away as he said it.

"Leo," Don began.

"No, Donnie! I don't want to hear it. This is not happening. We can't take her home!"

"I won't tell," I put in quietly, keeping my eyes on the turtle nearest me who was also the closest threat.

Leo's dark blue eyes snapped to me. Yanking down his scarf, he revealed a frown that would put Lion's to shame when he lectured. "We don't know you," he said slowly and deliberately. "Up until a few hours ago, you sided with our enemies. How do I know you won't turn on us?"

A question. Curse it! And I was trained to answer immediately and honestly.

"You don't know," I replied. "You can't. All I can give you is my word."

"And what is that worth when you and your pack have tried to kill us a good couple of times already?"

"My word is my honour," I answered stiffly, trying to quell the anger inside. "As one trained in the Bushido code, I would think you would understand that."

"Ooooo! Served!"

"Mikey!"

Leo and I stared at each other but neither one of us would blink. After several long and intense moments, I sighed, conceded him the staring contest and looked away. "I have nowhere else to go." I tried to keep the plea out of my tone but it didn't work as well as I wanted. "I saved your Raphael. He said he would repay me."

Leo exhaled, long and low. "Fine," he bit out. Without another word, he turned and stalked away. Bypassing Raphael, I heard him hiss to his brother, "I will not be the one to explain this to _Master Splinter_."

The emphasis on the words was lost on me. Master Splinter, I knew, was their sensei and father but that was all I knew. Mistress and Father of Mistress had made little mention of him since the turtles had always been their focus. I wondered if Master Splinter had a temper and judging by Raphael's suddenly horrified expression, I was probably right.

"Oh, shell!" he groused. "Leo, really? I mean, come on! Give me a break here."

Leo sighed. "While I am glad that you're all right, Raph, this is happening. You want this to happen so this is your responsibility."

"She's right there, you know," Don hissed. "No need to talk about her like she's doesn't exist."

Leo lowered his voice even more when he growled, "If she didn't, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

I chose that moment to pad over. "If I didn't exist, you'd be at least one brother short," I observed idly. I blinked when they blinked in surprise at me, clearly not having heard or seen me approach and not realising I had overheard. "But that is past. I have no doubt that Raphael is exhausted and hungry, not to mention that your sensei is worried for him."

"Agreed," Don butted in before Leo could comment. "The sooner we get home, the sooner I can look at the both of you and we can all get some rest."

Mikey smiled but I duly noted that he stayed on Leo's other side, as far from me as possible, and didn't look at me. "C'mon, Leo. Stop freaking out and let's just go home."

Leo, on the other hand, didn't take his eyes off me for a second as he said, "Lead the way, Donnie. I'll bring up the rear."

I tried not to roll my eyes and fell in beside Raphael, Don in front and Mikey beside Leo.

About to take a step forward, Leo made a quiet "Um" sound and I froze. No one moved. What was going on? I watched the four turtles look at each other, silently raising brow ridges and rolling their eyes (Raphael did most of the eye-rolling). It was an intense conversation and the topic was obviously me so I waited, my twitchy tail the only sign of my nerves.

Then Don sighed and turned to me. "We have to blindfold you. You understand, right?"

"Yes," I said automatically, hunkering even lower to the floor.

Don undid his purple bandana and inched towards me. Behind me, I felt Leo and Mikey stiffen, preparing for the worst.

Raphael suddenly spoke, his gruff voice calm and casual: "Yer not gonna hurt us, are ya, Snow Leopard?"

I did not move, not wanting to startle the turtles, and murmured, "I will not hurt you." Glancing up to Don, I added, "I will do this if it makes you more comfortable."

Seeming reassured, Don approached more easily and carefully tied the bandana around my eyes, the eyeholes on my left temple. As he worked, his trembling fingers carded through my thick fur and I heard his heartrate slow. I smiled inwardly when he lingered for half a second to brush the tips of my fur. I remembered Raphael waking earlier and stroking me before realising who I was. These cold-blooded, scaly creatures enjoyed the new texture I offered, and I wondered if I could use that to my advantage.

"Okay," Don said at last, stepping away. "She's blindfolded."

"Happy, Leo?" Raph griped.

"Very," Leo retorted.

A hand hesitated for only a second before cupping my right elbow. "C'mon," Raph said quietly.

We walked forward and my ears swivelled ceaselessly to compensate for my lost sense. Despite my being blindfolded, their fear hadn't dissipated much – at least, Leo's and Mikey's hadn't. Don's confusion was an unhealthy pinch in my nostrils but it was balanced out by Raphael's determination. I kept my face angled towards him, breathing him in as deeply as possible to counter the fear and confusion.

No one noticed my antics and then Raphael said, "So, Snow Leopard, got any questions for us?" I could hear his grin.

I had dozens, hundreds, thousands of questions. How old were they? Why did they wear different-coloured masks? Why did Mistress hate them so? What did they have against Mistress, Father of Mistress and the Purple Dragons? Why did they live in the sewers? How did they stay warm during the winter? What was it like being cold-blooded? What was it like not having claws? What was it like to rely on weapons that could be taken away?

I pushed my whiskers up in a small smile, keeping my lips carefully over my teeth, and replied, "I will try not to bombard you."

Raph chuckled, startling his brothers but he ignored them. "I don't think that's gonna be a problem when ya took almost two minutes ta ask me my name," he pointed out, trying to be polite about it but the humour was still in his voice.

I lifted my lips a fraction and wrinkled my nose at him. "You would have trouble, too," I reminded him.

"What's this about?" Don queried. I heard him pivot to walk backwards and talk with us.

Raph inhaled to reply but my training kicked in more quickly. "I am forbidden to ask questions of anyone outside of my pack," I answered smoothly. My tone added, _Remember?_

"Oh," he said, his voice tight. "Right."

He'd forgotten.

I wished I could.

"Four years is going to be hard to forget, isn't it?"

I nodded automatically. "Yes. Especially when those four years are all I can actually remember with very few exceptions."

"Flash memories and dreams," Raphael explained. "From her human life."

"Ah. We have our work cut out for us, then." He turned back around.

But at least he would help me. At least he would try.

That was the end of our conversation. We walked and walked and walked. Raphael was an excellent guide, alerting me to bits of debris I was able to dodge with ease, thanks to his instruction, and he never once let go. I fell asleep twice on my feet, only to jerk myself awake when my head drooped. The blindfold didn't help and neither did the sewers: a constant myriad of stenches and aromas that both repelled and invited, it was also very dirty. Mud thickening with ice coated my feet, and I made sure to keep my tail well away from the floor. My left side was also stiff with dried gunk, having lain on the sewers floor for hours. I knew a bath was in order. That was another question I added to my list: Did they have running water?

I had lost track long ago of where we were and I seriously doubted that I would ever be able to find my way back, even by smell. Then, just when my head slumped for the third time, we stopped, and stone and concrete ground together and moved.

"Step up a bit here," Raphael said and I obeyed, feeling the mucky concrete suddenly turn clean. Outside's chill washed away in the face of our destination's comfortable heat.

The grinding sounded again, callused fingers removed the bandana, and I blinked, lifting my head and squinting against the light.

"Welcome ta the lair," Raph said with a wide, sweeping gesture of his arm.

The feature that grabbed my attention first was the space; it was massive, both wide and high with arched ceilings. The second feature was the pool. Spanning the middle of the room with a small bridge over its center, it was one of the most inviting things I'd ever seen with cool and clear water that looked very unlike the sewage grime outside. There were several doorways leading off the main room to other places, and a staircase was tucked to my right and went upward in a spiral to the second floor above.

The turtles immediately started shedding their layers and boots but I barely noticed, trying to take in every detail of the lair: the curious workmanship in the walls and ceiling; the air that didn't smell as badly as outside; the space; the colours; and the scents of sweat, incense and food.

I heard him before I smelled him: a swift and nearly silent cadence of clawed, furred feet. Then: "Raphael! My sons!"

The scent hit me with the force of one of White Tiger's punches and it tickled something at the back of my brain that urged me to stalk and hunt and eat whatever approached. I shrank back and away from the thought as much as the smell, just as a small, mutant rat crossed into my line of sight: Master Splinter.

I leaned forward, ears low, tail taut and body coiled to spring.

The motion caught his attention and he froze midstride, his eyes wide. His fear punched into my nose and brain, and my mouth watered. Fear like that guaranteed a kill…

Wait a minute, what was I thinking? I tried to shake off the thought of fresh blood and sweet meat but couldn't look away from the rat.

"Sensei?" the turtles ventured.

I did not fail to notice Leo's left hand drifting toward one of the swords strapped to his shell, and I narrowed my eyes at him. If he attacked, I would defend myself.

But…maybe he was waiting for me to attack first?

In which case I had control of this situation, and that freaked me out. I didn't want to be in control here because I didn't want them to think I would abuse that control. I had to step down.

 _Okay, okay. Deep breaths, Snow. Not through the nose because then you'll smell him. Through the mouth. And…sit._

My butt hitting the floor was audible when I plumped myself down. Curling my tail around my paws, I flicked both ears forward in the rat's direction and half-bowed.

"Master Splinter, I presume," I murmured.

The old rat was not over his shock but he did take a single step toward me so that was progress. "You have me at a disadvantage." His voice was low and raspy yet wise and calm. "You know my name but I do not know yours."

I was about to answer but Raphael slid in front, still off to one side so the rat and I could watch each other but in our field of vision. He looked abnormally pale beneath the bright lights but he stood straight when he said, "Sensei, this is Snow Leopard. She rescued me from Saki Tower, and betrayed the Foot Clan and Karai. I told her we'd help her as repayment."

Master Splinter held my gaze for a moment more before glancing to Raphael. "That was not your choice to make, my son," he said quietly. "She's a danger to us all. If I recall correctly, you were the most adamant about removing this threat."

Removing? Did that mean kill?

"That was before." Raphael's tone hardened. "She's not gonna hurt us."

"How do you know?" I twitched at Leo's low hiss and tensed when he leaned forward.

"She gave ya her word, for one," Raphael bit out, his amber eyes gleaming. "Second." He shrugged off his jacket and bared his right shoulder, the one Lion had mauled. The scars were hard to miss. "I'd be dead already if not for her."

Mikey gasped while Master Splinter and Leo looked on in shock. Don was the only one to move, trailing his fingers over his brother's shoulder. After a bit of prodding, he looked first into Raphael's eyes and then into mine.

"How?" he whispered.

"I possess a healing ability that I didn't know about until the moment I helped Raphael," I answered. I ended it there since it was all he had asked for, and he nodded but said nothing.

"She needs our help, Donnie," said Raphael, his voice low and earnest. "Ya were all for this just the other night."

"I know." Don glanced at me again and then at Master Splinter. "Sensei?"

All four turtles and I regarded the rat while he thought. His ears lay low over his head and his whiskers trembled while his black eyes held mine.

"You may stay, until we can figure out something more permanent for you," he said at last. "In the meantime, I suggest you and Raphael shower, and we really should do something about your uniform."

All eyes fell to me and if I hadn't been furred, my face would have flushed as red as the Foot insignia on both my shoulders. Ah, yes, the beacon of hatred and fear. I definitely had to do something about it.

Raphael half-turned to me, keeping Master Splinter and Leo in sight, and said, "Guests first."

"You're half dead on your feet," I retorted smoothly. "You first. Besides," I added while plucking a bit of grime out of my thick fur, "I'll doubtlessly take longer."

Mikey hid a half-snort and Leo scowled at him. Raphael rolled his eyes but trudged away with Don beside him. The amber-eyed turtle swayed a little but his brother steadied him carefully and they disappeared up the stairs.

Now I was left in the foyer with the rat and two remaining turtles. I lay down with a glance to Leo. "I don't want to track my mess through your home," I explained hesitantly.

Everyone looked at my filthy feet and nodded. Master Splinter, his eyes no longer as wild, took another step toward me. "Would you like a cup of tea?" he asked.

I blinked. While it had been a question, it had been a question of preference. Did I want something? No one of a higher rank had ever asked me that so what was I supposed to say? I was thirsty but I didn't think tea would be a suitable remedy. My training kicked in despite my floundering brain. "That is kind of you, Master Splinter, but no, thank you." I could not ask for water. I had no courage left to ask for anything at all.

To my surprise, Mikey came to my rescue. "How about some water?" he offered timidly.

That, I could answer more readily. "Yes, please."

Before anyone could say anything, the orange-banded turtle vanished through a doorway and was back in record timing, a tall glass filled with water.

It occurred to everyone as he closed distance with me that he would actually have to hand it to me. He would have to come within at least two feet of me which, in their minds I knew, was easy striking distance. Mikey faltered to a halt six feet away, Leo's hand was now on one of his katana, and Master Splinter stiffened.

"Um…" said the young turtle.

My gaze flicked to the glass in his three-fingered hand. There were a couple of ice cubes in it, and water droplets had already begun to condense against the glass. My throat burned, yearning to be quenched, and I shifted in response, sliding to my toes and lifting my body a few inches off the floor.

Leo reacted and was he ever fast!

He sprang at me, his katana singing as he swept it from its sheath and toward my head.

I was faster.

I ducked his swing and rolled beneath him onto my back, planting my feet on his hips and launching him. He landed smoothly and whirled to rush me again. I fought every instinct to get up – stay down, stay on my back – but I did it. I might have bared my teeth a little but that was just a warning. The rest of my body language was surrender. I did not want to fight. I was tired and alone and dirty and thirsty.

Leo recognised my position and halted, his sword still in his hand and ready. No one moved while he and I stared at each other and waited. If I moved again so would he and we'd be right back to where we started with us trying to remove the other's head (or in my case, the jugular).

When Master Splinter took a step in my direction, Leo looked to him but I did not. I knew where the threat lay. I knew I was still in danger.

"Peace, my son," the rat counseled. "Michelangelo?"

Michelangelo? Was that Mikey's name? Was Mikey a nickname? Raphael had given me his full name, though his brothers called him Raph. I sighed and closed my eyes. I didn't dare ask for clarification.

Mikey – Michelangelo – inched forward. The water sloshed in the glass a bit as he trembled.

I stayed on my back, still faced Leo but kept one ear on the orange-banded turtle. He was three feet away when there was a crash from upstairs and a shrill cry of "LEO!"

I blinked when I realised Leo was no longer where he had been, already halfway up the stairs with Michelangelo right behind him. The glass had shattered on the floor when he'd dropped it.

Rolling onto my belly, I kept my legs and arms tucked under me, my eyes on Master Splinter who looked visibly torn between checking on his sons and keeping an eye on me: the possible threat. Though my eyes were occupied, my ears were not and they were keen enough to pick up the panic upstairs.

"What happened?" Leo demanded.

Don answered, "I don't know! He just went down! He didn't hit his head but he's not waking up! Raph? Raph!"

"We should get him to the infirmary. Don, take his other side. Mikey, where's Sensei?"

"I left him downstairs…"

"With that CAT?! Alone? Are you insane?"

"Raph said she wouldn't hurt us," Mikey pointed out.

Their voices were getting louder as they approached the staircase. I didn't move. I didn't even twitch my tail.

When Leo spoke, his voice was so quiet that it could have been a breeze: " _He_ is a _rat_. _She_ is a _cat_. Is that so hard to understand?"

"Klunk doesn't have an issue with him."

"Klunk is not twice his size!"

While I fleetingly wondered who Klunk was, the turtles appeared at the top of the stairs. I didn't look at them. I kept my eyes on Master Splinter who looked greyer if that was possible. His beady, black eyes flicked from me to his sons.

Before anyone could say anything, I found my view blocked by a sudden wall of green. A flash of steel reflected my wide eyes back at me.

"Sensei?" Leo asked, still facing me. I stayed low and stayed still. If he understood body language, he would have to know I meant no harm.

"She did not move, my son. I am unharmed."

A small, clawed hand curled around Leo's shoulder and he grudgingly sidestepped while Don and Michelangelo hurried past with Raphael's body supported between them. Onyx eyes that were the same shade as Father of Mistress's met mine. For the first time in my life, I looked back into that abyss-like hue and was not afraid. I had thought Raphael's earlier fear was caused by a father's fierce temper but now I knew otherwise. It was because I was a cat and he was a rat. He was a prime source of food for my kind but I knew better now. I was not what I was. I was human. I had been human. Whether or not I could be that again, I didn't know, but I did know that rats were not the primary source of food for humankind, at least, not in this hemisphere.

I was not afraid as I stared back and both smelled and felt his fear ease. He was worried, certainly, he was uncertain, of course, but first and foremost, he was kind.

Like Don.

Like Raphael.

"Go wash up," the rat said gently. "Set your uniform outside the door and we'll take care of it."

I hesitated, fingering the material. I couldn't look at the red symbol burning on my shoulders. I opened my mouth. I had to ask. I had to be sure. "Can," I squeaked and cleared my throat. "Can you remove the red? I don't… I don't want it anymore."

Leo stared at me and I knew he knew about my inability to ask questions. That I did so now shocked him.

Master Splinter did not know that yet so he smiled. His black eyes twinkled with a light I was sure I had never seen before with my mutant eyes. "Of course. I happen to be handy with a needle. We'll have something for you to wear when you're finished. Take as long as you need."

It was a dismissal but I didn't move.

I had one more question to ask: "R-Raphael?"

"Is in good hands," he assured me. "Trust us."

He asked me to trust them but they didn't trust me, not all of them. But I wasn't being punished for asking questions. I was being spoken to with gentle and soft words. I didn't want to push my luck.

Inclining my head, I murmured, "Thank you, Master Splinter," and slowly rose to my hind feet. Leo stiffened marginally but I didn't look at him since I would only make him more uncomfortable. Every movement controlled and smooth, I headed for the stairs and used my nose to find the bathroom.

Stripping everything off, I dropped it all outside the door and closed the door quickly. Now that I was alone, every nerve in my body trembled with what I had done to my old family and what I was doing to this one. They were not my family, I knew that, but I didn't want to harm them. I didn't want them to think I'd harm them. I didn't want them to be afraid of me.

I took a moment to orient myself. It was just a bathroom but I was caught up in my reflection in the mirror above the sink. My fur was matted with several things, including blood and a couple other things I didn't want to name. My grey-green eyes were bloodshot. I looked awful. I felt awful, too.

The sink was right in front of me and I washed my hands vigorously before cupping them together and drinking greedily. The water tasted a bit like the handsoap but I didn't care. At least, my throat stopped burning.

The bathroom's layout was different than what I was used to and smaller, and figuring out the shower took a couple of minutes but at last I got the temperature right. Stepping in was bliss and I turned my face up to the spray, droplets falling off my whiskers. I stood under the water for several minutes, and my fur got heavy with it but that was normal and it felt so good. There were a couple different soaps available on the built-in shelves and I grabbed the one that had a picture of a kitten on it. I didn't know why they had cat shampoo but I was not complaining as I squirted some into my palm and rubbed all over, unsheathing my claws to drag them through tangles. I watched black-green sewage goo and red-brown blood clumps wash down the drain. The soap was lightly scented with something familiar but I couldn't remember what it was. It had been from my human life and a memory of a spiky, green plant in a bright yellow pot flashed behind my eyes. I blinked and shook my head to clear it and my vision.

I probably took a lot longer than I should have but we'd always had the luxury of bathing without a time limit and I was used to that (Master Splinter had also encouraged me to take my time). I didn't take as long as I could have, though, and when I turned off the water, I made sure the shower curtain was still in place and gently but firmly shook myself out. I kept an eye on the flying water and was satisfied with myself when nothing hit the ceiling. I remembered to clear the drain of stray fur and dropped that into the garbage can before wrapping myself up in a large towel.

I hesitated for a second or nine and forced myself to open the door. Right in front of the doorway was a small pile of fabric that I guessed was clothing. No one was in sight. I picked it all up and retreated back into the bathroom.

It was a black t-shirt and a pair of very long, grey sweatpants; I rolled up the cuffs twice. Looking at myself in the mirror, I moaned at how the clothes' style clashed horrifically with my fur but I was covered and I was grateful and I was able to exit the bathroom on my hind feet.

I came face to face with Leo.

I crouched so quickly that he didn't even have time to blink. He stared at me, his dark eyes unreadable.

Then he opened his mouth: "Why do you do that?" he asked.

I could only assume he meant crouching. I replied carefully, meeting his eyes squarely, "It is a sign of respect that our heads are no higher than that of the master. We show respect by relinquishing physical advantage."

His mouth dropped open. "That's…" he rasped, trailing off. His eyes were wide with horror.

 _What?_ I wanted to ask. _Demeaning? Unethical? Fair? Reasonable? What?_

"That's kind of you," Master Splinter's voice said from the other end of the hall. He approached, saying, "But it is unnecessary. In this home, we show respect with our words and actions, not by physically or mentally lowering ourselves in the presence of others." He met my eyes unflinchingly – that deep black so unfamiliarly kind – and smiled. He smiled at me! That made it twice within the last forty minutes. "You're welcome to show respect in ways other than what you were trained in, Snow Leopard," he finished.

I inclined my head. "Thank you, Master Splinter."

He beckoned to us, turning his back on me.

 _Trust us_ , he had said.

I had thought he didn't trust me. This act alone told me otherwise. Leo was rigid as he walked a few feet off my left side but his hands weren't reaching for his katana. They were trying. They were sincerely trying to trust me.

I had never felt so undeserved of that trust. I had helped their Raphael but...I had tried to hurt them. My pack had tried to hurt them. The one I had served had tried to hurt them.

"I just came from Donatello's lab," Master Splinter told me over his shoulder.

Donatello?

Don. Glancing at Leo, I had to wonder what his full name was. Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo and Leo… something.

"Raphael is all right. Apparently he's just sleeping."

Wait, what? After all that fuss and chaos, Raphael was _sleeping_? I wanted to knock my head against the wall, beat myself up for scaring them so badly. What if it had been part of my healing him? What if his unstable equilibrium and exhaustion had been my fault? What if I had indirectly hurt him? Venom in my saliva? Internal bleeding from my holding him down too hard? I didn't know how to interact with anyone other than my packmates and they were all strong. We had wrestled and trained, using moves that would have broken human spines – were turtles any less fragile? I had to be careful. Just like with Mistress: they could touch me but I could not touch them. I would not.

Maybe I never should have left? I never should have run away. I never should have asked questions...

"Would you like to see him, Snow Leopard?"

The question slammed me to a halt and now Leo's hand was on his katana yet it was still sheathed. I barely noticed, my eyes on the rat who had asked me this very personal question.

I fought my training. I didn't dare answer honestly. I couldn't. They wouldn't allow me to… I wasn't trusted, not yet and maybe not ever.

 _No, no, no, no, no. Thank you but no. Come on, Snow, say it. Say no. You don't have to tell the truth. Mistress isn't here anymore. She can't hurt you anymore. Your training doesn't mean anything anymore. Just. Say. No._

Tears burned in my eyes and I ducked my head. "Yes, please."

-:-

Please review.


	13. Chapter 13: Baby Steps

**Scroll Angel:** I'm glad. As far as "Flash" goes, it's on hold for an undetermined amount of time. I'm having a really hard time getting the next chapter out the way I want. I'm sorry for making you wait but it will come. Eventually. Thank you for reviewing!

 **lizzybudd:** I already messaged you with my thanks for your review but I thank you again! ;)

 **Guest:** I'm happy you think so. Thank you for reviewing!

 **BlueBoltKatana:** Leo trusts very few people in the world. Earning his trust is a hard thing to do. I agree with you on your speculations surrounding Karai. I will do my best to incorporate such a scene for you. Thank you for reviewing!

 **QueenDove:** Haha! Technology, eh? Don't worry! :) The thing is that Snow doesn't really think she's all that trustworthy either. Stuff is going to happen that will shake her sense of self (not in this chapter but soon) and she will have no one but four turtles and a rat to turn to. I'm keen on delving into her story and fleshing out all the insecurities she's gathered over the years. She used to be so sure and now she's not... It's a dangerous combination when she's also ex-Foot and an ex-bodyguard to Karai. Don't worry, Mikey's got his own ways of coping. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **prangersturtles:** Thank you! That's so kind of you to say! Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Your review inspired the next chapter's title so I thank you for that. Thank you for reviewing!

 **TMNT-Queen:** Aw, thank you! Sorry about almost giving you a heart attack. Raph's sleepiness will be explained (sort of). I totally understand that school takes precedence. That's one of the reasons why this chapter is a shorty. ;) Thank you for reviewing! (Also, thank you for checking out "Broken Day". I appreciate it!)

 _Chapter 13: Baby Steps_

Leonardo could hardly believe what he was seeing as Master Splinter smiled again at his natural adversary and led the way to Don's lab. Snow Leopard followed, subdued and quiet, her footsteps making no noise.

And he thought he and Sensei were quiet. Nope. This mutant cat was a silver shadow in Casey's ill-fitting clothes (they were all they'd been able to find that would fit her (she had even poked a hole through the pants for her tail!); her uniform was soaking in the laundry sink until they deemed it safe to put through the washer). Their silences stemmed from endless training while hers came from training, as well as predatory instinct. She didn't even look like she walked, still crouched. She _ghosted_ down the stairs and over the hard floors. He'd watched the occasional documentary on Animal Planet and Love Nature with Don and he had always hidden his fascination for apex predators but watching one now not on-screen, seeing one now in real life, feeling the heat she exuded as a warm-blooded mammal, and hearing every instinct in his body scream at him to run or fight – _get away, get rid of it!_ – Leo was as on-edge as a lower food-chain item with ninja skills could be. Splinter didn't seem too upset, despite his earlier reaction, but he was also more spiritually in tune with the world around him. Perhaps he had sensed something about her that Leo had not? It was possible – likely, actually – yet Leo stayed silent, asking no questions, as they trouped into the infirmary.

Don and Mikey both looked up, Donnie at his desk and Mikey sitting beside Raph's cot. Both stiffened when their eyes fell on Snow Leopard.

"Peace, my sons," Splinter soothed. "Our guest wanted to see your brother."

At her mention, Snow Leopard crouched even lower, almost sitting on the floor to make herself smaller, making them see she wasn't a threat. She'd been doing that ever since they'd found her and brought her home, and Leo kicked himself for not picking up on the body language. She was a predator, she was ninja but she was very afraid right now and he was not helping. He had a few things to learn, it seemed.

Sensei beckoned to Mikey. "Michelangelo, come with me. Leonardo, Donatello, keep our guest company. Snow Leopard?"

Her head snapped up immediately and Leo scowled, only able to guess at what kind of training guaranteed that kind of reaction. She didn't say anything, patiently awaiting whatever Sensei said, but her eyes were wary.

He smiled at her and her alert ears dropped a fraction. "Tell us if you need anything."

 _Don't ask. Tell._ They had told Master Splinter about her inability to refuse answering questions and how hard it was for her to ask them, and he used it now to make her feel comfortable. Leo couldn't help his tiny smile when Snow Leopard nodded, her grey-green eyes wide, and said, "Yes, Master Splinter."

"Good. Michelangelo?" With one last smile for their guest, the old rat swept out the door, Mikey trailing behind with frequent, furtive glances in Snow Leopard's direction as he sidled past. Leo sidestepped slightly in front of her, to reassure him, not to make sure she didn't do anything. She wouldn't do anything. She was too timid. A timid predator. He almost snorted at the thought.

When they were gone, he turned for the mutant almost lying on the floor. They really had to try to break her of that respective behaviour. It was disgusting. Trying for a calm tone, he made himself look at her. He noticed when she shrank back, her long tail quivering. "We'll be over here if you need us," he told her and then he walked away.

Leo felt her stare on his shell as he sat down on a stool at Don's desk and did his best to ignore her. It took all he had to not look back. She was fine. They were fine. Raph was safe. Leo honestly didn't think that Raph would be duped by an obvious threat because he wasn't as trusting as Don or Mikey. At home once more with his family safe and whole, Leo could now appreciate Raph's reasoning to bring Snow Leopard home; he knew he would have done the same. It was repayment for saving his brother's life but Leo had the sneaking suspicion that the repayment would turn into an offer before too long. They'd never turned anyone away so far, not April, not Casey, not Leatherhead, so why would they turn away Snow Leopard?

Probably because nobody else froze his heart with terror every time he glanced at them. He had never felt more vulnerable in his own home, and had never feared more for his family's safety in his own home. This was ludicrous and insane and unhealthy but…she had given her word, Raph had vouched for her, and even Splinter was coming around. Leo himself had been seeing the effects of her training for the last few hours and he…he pitied her! He hated that she cowered from them, that she had barely any courage or willpower to formulate simple questions, and that she was very and truly alone right now. She had been part of a team – a pack – for four years and now she had nothing and no one. She didn't even have concrete memories from her human life, probably didn't even know her human name, and he hated that. He hated it all and he hated Karai most of all for doing all of that to her, a kid.

His keen hearing caught the sound of rustling cloth and he peeked over his shoulder to see Snow Leopard approach the occupied cot. She crouched so low that her hands almost brushed the floor yet she stretched out carefully to sniff at Raph's hands and face. Leo ignored his suddenly-pounding heart as he watched the strong muzzle which hid sharp teeth come within inches of his brother's throat. He need not have worried, however; for she dropped to the floor a second later and wiggled under the cot. She was barely visible in the cot's shadow but he saw her curl herself into a tiny ball, her thick tail pulled up over her nose. Her icy gaze - luminescent in the half-light - met his for only a second before she closed her eyes and to all appearances went to sleep.

She deserved it. She'd had a long couple of days.

-:-:-:-

Don stared and stared at the furry, silver shadow slumbering beneath Raph's cot. He couldn't believe that Leo had turned his shell to her and had let her get that close to Raph, especially having heard about what had happened out in the living room while he'd been upstairs. Poor Snow Leopard. Every single move on her part had been to make herself as small and non-threatening as possible. He could read his elder brother's face clearly and knew he knew this, too. He knew that Leo pitied her (at least, now he did). One more hurdle jumped, and Sensei was coming around, too, so that was a plus. The only one left was Mikey. Mikey who had been pinned beneath that deadly form and those deadly claws, who had had nightmares for a week straight after the incident, and who had been furious and terrified at having to face Karai's Elite when they'd gone to get Raph last night. Don's heart twisted at the sight of his baby brother being so afraid of someone. Mikey had the biggest heart out of all of them and it physically hurt that he was avoiding someone who had no other choice but to stay with them.

He could barely hear the soft breathing from both mutants on the other side of the room (Raphael was typically a loud snorer unless driven to the point of utter exhaustion), but he did catch the quiet purrs coming from under the cot. Snow Leopard was comfortable and relaxed in her sleep, and all Donnie could think of was that she deserved it after doing everything she had – for herself and for them.

Exhaling a sigh, he caught a whiff of aloe vera and sniffed again. "Do you smell aloe?" he whispered to the brother next to him. There was only one item in the entire lair that contained aloe.

Leo's smile was small but it was a smile as he nodded and said, "She used Klunk's shampoo."

Don blinked before smothering a snicker. "Is there any left?" he quipped.

"I didn't check" was the reply. "I'll buy another bottle myself if she did."

"Get two, one for her and one for Klunk."

Now it was Leo's turn to chuckle and they both heard a louder purr when Snow Leopard shifted in her sleep.

Don's gaze softened as he looked at her. "She looks so peaceful," he mused.

Leo nodded slowly. "She does need help, Donnie. Raph's right. You're right. We can't turn her away."

"What about Mikey?"

A shadow crossed the blue-banded leader's face. "We'll figure it out," he said. He paused then added, "How's Raph?"

Don sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's the strangest thing," he murmured. "His vitals are almost as low as they would be if he were hibernating. It's like his energy reserves are so low that he has to sleep to recover. I don't know what to make of it."

"What do you think happened?"

"Truthfully? I think she did it. When she healed him. All energy has to come from somewhere. Maybe she did something to channel more energy into the regenerating cells? That's really my only explanation."

"Sounds fair," said Leo. "It's certainly useful."

Donatello hesitated briefly before saying quietly, "I checked him over and, Leo, it wasn't just his shoulder. In our fight last night with White Tiger, his leg had gotten cut. His wrists bear fresh scars, too. They chained him up. She fixed everything."

Leo nodded, thoughtful. "Her uniform is one big mess of sewage gunk and blood. Mostly blood, and I bet you most of it's Raph's. Did he tell you who did it?"

"No, but it's not hard to tell from the scars. It was Lion," Donnie said with a shake of his head.

"The…leader?"

"Yep."

"She had to have been right there." Leo's navy eyes were round. "She had to have attacked him to get to Raph. Remember over the PA last night? Lion was down. He never came to help Karai because Snow Leopard had already taken him out."

"She didn't just betray her mistress, she betrayed her pack," Don reminded him. "She betrayed the only family she had. And for what? A stranger?"

"We can always ask her?" Leo offered carefully but Donnie was already shaking his head.

"No, Leo. No. We can't. We can't pry because she has to answer. She can't _not_ answer. We have to respect that or she'll never trust us."

"We got to start somewhere, I guess," Leo said with a nod. "All right, Don. We'll do it your way. Any idea when he'll wake up?"

Don grimaced at the subject change. "Who knows? All we can do is wait."

"Then we will." Leo's statement was quiet but no less full of conviction.

-:-:-:-

The kitchen was where Mikey truly shone. He was a decent ninja, sure, but the kitchen was his domain. It was where everything came together without any problems, where all he handled and all he did was as natural as breathing. Here, he was king, no matter that Sensei stood nearby making tea.

So why were his hands shaking? Where had his confidence gone?

He'd put the cheese in the cupboard and the butter in the fridge, he'd used canola oil instead of olive in the frying pan and he'd blackened two of the five toads-in-a-hole he was making.

Now, trying to flip the bread-and-egg mix, he missed and it fell with a splat on the stovetop, uncooked egg oozing.

A soft, clawed hand took the flipper from him. A quiet voice spoke gentle words: "Michelangelo, sit down."

An order was an order even if he was in the kitchen. Relinquishing the utensil to Sensei, he turned away from the stove and sat down at the table, his head in his hands.

Master Splinter worked quickly to make another and when it was sizzling in the pan, Mikey heard him near. A light clink of china on wood met his ears.

"Drink, my son. What is bothering you?"

Mikey came out of his hands and sipped the hot tea before answering. "She can't be here."

"Why not?"

"She's tried to hurt us. She's tried to kill us. Dad…I just can't have her here. Everything in me is screaming at me to run or kill but I don't want to do either. This is our home. She can't force us out."

"So we turn her out? When she has nowhere else to go? With no family, no friends and no memories of who she used to be?"

Splinter's eyes were kind and unjudging while he took a seat across from him. Mikey shook his head. "It goes deeper than that, Dad. She's not safe."

"No, my son. Your fears are based only on what you see and feel on the surface. Your fears are sound because she's everything we fight against, both as ninja and as animals, but we can't let that cloud our judgement. She deserves another chance."

"Like Leo keeps giving Karai second chances?" he asked bitterly.

"Your brother is honourable, as are you. He's sure that there's something worth saving in Shredder's daughter, and if he can think that of her then why can't we think so of Snow Leopard who has done much to counter the bad she's done?"

"Raph would be dead if not for her," Mikey whispered.

Splinter inclined his head and sipped from his own cup. Setting it back on the table, he said, "The choice is always yours, my son, but your good heart has never stopped you before."

Rising, he patted his shoulder before returning to the pan.

Mikey absently finished his tea, fetched a few plates and followed his father out of the kitchen and back into the lab, the two bearing a lunch that resembled breakfast more than anything.

He automatically counted bodies: Don and Leo at the desk, Raph on his cot and… Where was she?

About to open his mouth, Sensei made a little "Ahem" and nodded to Raph's cot…under which was a furry, silver ball in a black t-shirt and grey sweatpants.

"She fell asleep almost as soon as you left," Leo informed them, getting up to assist the pair with the plates.

Almost an hour then. She looked so different, lying under the cot and asleep. She looked…comfortable and at peace. Her tail tip, which was curled around her nose, twitched slowly, just like Klunk's did when he slept.

 _She's just a really big kitty,_ he thought, and his heart went out to her, as it did to any stray he found. He wondered what she'd think of Klunk when they met.

"I don't think Snow Leopard or Raph will be eating anytime soon," Don said, coming up to receive his lunch.

After putting away the extra food, they all sat down in various spots around the room: Don in his desk chair, Leo on a stool, Splinter in the chair on Raph's far side and after a moment's deliberation, Mikey took a seat on the cot beside his brother. They ate quietly but the stress of last night and this morning's strenuous search through the tunnels for Raph caught up to the turtles. Leo joined Mikey on the cot and lay down while Don just rested his head on his arms on the desk. Mikey fought to stay awake, to watch over his big brothers because that was his job.

"Sleep, Michelangelo," their father encouraged softly. "All will look better when you've awakened."

Mikey smiled tiredly, still fearful of that tiny mountain of fur beneath Raph's cot, like some absurd monster under the bed. However, he lay down beside Leo and fell asleep before he could worry another minute more. An order was an order, after all.

-:-

Please review.


	14. Chapter 14: Meets, Greets and Teases

**Rhodesincolumbus:** Aw, thank you! Everyone's still a bit slow on the uptake and progress will be marred by the guys' instincts and fears every so often but hopefully it won't last. :) I feel like I should explain more fully why Raph's nearly comatose: Don's right. Snow Leopard doesn't use her energy to heal, she uses the other person's. She slows down the rest of the body's responses so that that energy can go into the regeneration of cells. It doesn't make sense from a scientific standpoint but since when am I good at science? ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **lizzybudd:** Thank you for reviewing! (Also, did you get my message about "Flash"?)

 **TMNT-Queen:** Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. Leo and Splinter are coming around slowly, as is Mikey. Don's still kind of up in the air while Raph's just like "Cool. New roommate. This one also saved my shell so be nice." Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Magic spit. Hahah! You'll just have to wait and see, won't you? ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** He really is too kind to hold a grudge, isn't he? Time is what he needs. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **QueenDove:** Thank you! Mikey's making progress (slowly) but hooray! I hope to have that "shattering situation" for next chapter (Chapter 15). Here's hoping! Mikey thinking of Snow Leopard as a stray is useful in that he sees her in need of help. You're right that she's got human-esque baggage. I actually really am working on Mikey trying not to pet her. He's such a tactile guy, and so is she because of her cat instincts and time spent with her packmates. You weren't rambling at all! I love long reviews! Thank you for reviewing!

 _Chapter 14: Meets, Greets and Teases  
_

It was the remnant smell of cooked meat, eggs and cheese that woke me. I yawned and stretched – and hit my head on something above me.

Someone mumbled something indecipherable but it was no voice I recognised. This was also not my room or anywhere in Saki Tower. I sniffed. I was underground and in a room that was filled with chemicals, disinfectants, and the smells of mutants who were not my packmates.

My heartrate spiked in terror for only two seconds before I remembered where I was and what I had done to get to this place.

My eyes burned and I retreated even further under my shelter, tugging my tail more tightly over my face in case anyone happened to look at me.

Raphael, lying on the cot above my head, suddenly spoke: "Hey, Donnie-boy." The words were a low mumble, maybe a fraction slurry; he was still tired.

"Raph?" I peeked over my tail to spy a pair of green legs approaching. "How're you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess, but I'm hungry."

Donatello chuckled. "Mikey made toads-in-a-hole a few hours ago. Want me to microwave one for you?"

"Sure. Thanks. And make it two. I'm starved."

Those legs were halfway to the door when Raphael asked, "Where is she?"

Donatello coughed. I still couldn't see his face from this angle. "She's sleeping."

"Where, Don?"

"Um…under you. She's…under the cot."

There was an intense silence for ten full seconds and then Raphael shifted his weight and the next thing I knew, I was staring into his amber eyes while he hung upside-down over the cot's side. He nearly upset it but he didn't seem to care because he smiled at me.

"Hey," he greeted me. "Are ya hungry?"

"Yes," I squeaked in reply, too surprised to say it any other way.

"Well, c'mon, then." He straightened and got up off the cot.

I was out from under the makeshift bed and beside him in less than a second, carefully taking his elbow when he swayed a bit.

He waved me off while Donatello stepped forward anxiously. "Just vertigo," he explained. "I'm fine."

I said nothing and nodded, stepping away and dropping a bit lower out of habit.

"Come on," he beckoned again. "Mikey made 'nough for everybody, right?" he added to his brother who gaped at me.

Donatello snapped out of his shock and muttered a weak "Yeah" before half-turning for the door, still keeping me in sight.

I put four feet of distance between me and Raphael, and followed silently out the door, down a short hallway and out into the main room. We bore right into a spacious kitchen and I looked about with interest, eyeing cupboards, drawers and appliances that I knew had been familiar to me in a yellow house long ago.

"Sit down, you two," Donatello said, gesturing to a table with seven chairs around it.

Weren't there only five who lived down her? _Why need the extra chairs?_ I wondered as I obeyed.

While Donatello heated the food, Leo walked in. I couldn't fault him for slamming to a halt the moment he spotted me and I ducked my head a bit more.

He sighed and continued to the table where he put a light and gentle hand on Raphael's shoulder. "It's good to see you up," he said.

"Good ta be up," Raphael replied. "Where's Mikey at?"

"He's meditating with Sensei." Leo took the chair on his brother's other side and traced the grain in the wood tabletop, giving his hands something to do besides reaching for the blue-wrapped katana on his back.

"He's meditatin'? Really?"

"Sensei insisted. They've been at it since we woke up an hour ago." He smiled and added, "You passed us in the amount of beauty sleep, Raphie."

"I was tired!" Raphael protested. My whiskers twitched as I fought to hide my smile at his tone.

"You were nearly comatose," corrected Donatello, plopping plates down in front of us. He also set strange, metal utensils on either side and I stared at them. What were they for?

"I was what?" Raphael stared up at the purple-banded turtle, his hands frozen around the utensils.

"I'll explain later. Eat."

Raphael grumbled under his breath and…used the stick-like tools to cut into the bread, cheese and egg. There was a name for these things. I knew they had names but I just…I couldn't remember…

"Ya don't hafta use the cutlery, ya know." Raphael's voice sliced into my paralyzed thoughts and I blinked up at him. He nodded towards my plate, towards the little tools, the…cutlery? "Use yer hands if it's easier."

I continued to stare at him after he'd dropped his own gaze back to his meal, bracing the four-pronged utensil in the bread and using the other to saw back and forth, cutting off a smaller piece which he dipped into a red puddle on one side of his plate before putting it into his mouth. I looked down at my plate, my mouth watering at the smell of cheese, egg, meat and was that… I sniffed. What was that? It was familiar, stirring my heart in a nostalgia I barely recognised.

"It's pepper," Leo supplied quietly. "Mikey puts pepper on all our eggs."

Pepper… "It's a spice," I whispered.

I looked up to catch Leo's shocked expression but Raphael smiled at me and Donatello said, "That's right. It actually comes from a fruit. The fruit's dried and crushed into granules…" He trailed off as if realising what he was doing: conversing with me, an untrustworthy predator.

I would show him. Pushing my whiskers upward, I picked up the warm confection. "I didn't know that," I said and took a bite. I did my best to keep my teeth as hidden as possible but, geez, I was eating! They couldn't freak out over that, right?

My worried thoughts evaporated at the explosion of flavour in my mouth. It wasn't as crunchy as I knew it should have been – reheating anything in the microwave did that – but the cheese was perfectly melted and the bread was still a bit crispy and the egg was cooked through and the meat was probably ham and the pepper was wonderful and…was that a bit of tomato? My brain balked at the idea of a tomato in my food but my stomach and taste buds didn't care, and I scarfed the rest of it down, barely chewing. I licked my chops when I was done, getting the crumbs and bits of egg that had fallen.

"Um…" Leo was visibly a paler shade of green, though he masterfully hid the fright in his eyes as he looked at me. "Would you like some more?"

I ducked my head shyly and held out my plate to him. "Yes, please."

"Don't you dare, Leonardo!" Donatello swooped in, scooping the plate out of his hands (and giving me Leo's full name). "Sit and stay. _I'll_ make it for her."

Leonardo's pale face darkened with red and he muttered something but my keen ears couldn't discern what it was.

"Leo can't cook worth beans," Raphael explained, smirking at me.

Beans? A figure of speech, I assumed. My mouth opened and I heard myself say, "That's okay. I can't either."

It was Leo who asked the question (I had been wondering when they'd succumb to their curiosity): "What'd they feed you?"

"A sheep carcass every three days."

Raphael spewed out a mouthful of three-quarter-chewed egg and bread, mercifully not forcefully enough to get me on the other side of the table but I still flinched away; I didn't want another bath today and my fur felt softer and healthier than it had in a long time. He coughed hard and Leonardo pounded him on his shell, concern and humour in eyes.

Raphael got his breath back eventually. "You ate what?" he squeaked.

"A sheep."

He opened his mouth to say something more – ask something more – but caught himself and closed it. "Huh," was all he said.

"If meat is all you've been eating these last four years, I hope you don't get sick from eating this," Donatello put in from across the room, beating an egg in a bowl – scrambling it – and adding a bit of…milk. That was milk.

"The sheep was only part of our regular diet. We did also get servings of grains, vegetables and dairy," I explained. When no one commented, I continued, "Now that I know I was human, perhaps what made us this way didn't change our innards." Licking my thumb and forefinger, I cleaned a couple of whiskers as I finished with, "It would explain why we aren't strictly carnivorous."

Silence.

Raphael was still eating but he was also doing his best to not openly stare at me while his brothers didn't even bother trying.

I hunched my shoulders a little and murmured, "Forgive me. I did not mean to overstep."

"Ya didn't," Raphael groused. "They're just shocked at hearin' ya talk so much."

My ears warmed. "I've spoken before."

"Yeah, but ya've only said anythin' remotely lengthy when ya've been answerin' our questions. It's not like ya volunteer information."

This…was true.

I didn't say anything and the kitchen fell into silence once more, save for the spat of the frying pan.

"Snow Leopard." Leonardo's voice was hesitant but his eyes were calm as he met my gaze. "We will do our best to not ask you questions. You have the right to keep your own secrets as long as they don't endanger this family."

I nodded. That was fair. "Yes, Leonardo."

It was several minutes before Donatello presented me with my second serving, piping hot and crispy, and the conversation picked up to a quiet level, most of it aimed at Raphael who had finished eating and now looked ready to go back to bed.

I caught the treads of two pairs of feet five seconds before they entered the kitchen: Master Splinter and Michelangelo.

"Ah, Raphael. I'm glad you're awake. Snow Leopard." He nodded to me and I nodded back with a murmured, "Master Splinter."

The kitchen was crowded with the two additions. Master Splinter joined us at the table while Leonardo jumped up to make a pot of tea, and Michelangelo took over at the stove because I guessed supper was on the near horizon. These mutants certainly ate a lot and often if they had more than one meal a day but then they also didn't eat full-sized sheep with side dishes. That was a big meal.

I watched this family interact, jostling and chatting, and the volume gradually increased. I stayed silent and it felt like their eyes passed over me, like I was no longer there. I didn't really mind because the last thing I wanted to be was their center of attention.

But then the meal was ready – some kind of pasta with sauce, rice and vegetables – and the chaos quadrupled and I found myself staring at Michelangelo who had sat down beside me without thinking. He froze, his eyes locking with mine and his fear burning in my nostrils.

That fear… I remembered it, remembered hearing him scream, remembered his almost-last moments on Earth. I remembered the voice that had started me down this road. His terror had saved me.

It was a frightening thought.

The noise at the table fell as everyone noticed our silent staring contest. He was so afraid but what he didn't know was that I was, too. I didn't expect his forgiveness or kindness ( _What about the water he'd offered?_ a small voice asked.) but I did expect Leonardo to leap over the table and defend his little brother like he had earlier.

Michelangelo's eyes were an amazing shade of blue, as blue as the sky on a cloudless day in rural Japan. It was such a pretty colour…

I glanced away, holding my plate out to Donatello who scooped a hearty helping onto my plate. At least they knew that two pieces of bread, no matter that they had been stuffed with eggs and meat, would not fill my stomach. (Even Raphael had a small plate of the food.)

I watched them eat for several moments, eyeing their hands as they manipulated the cutlery. It seemed that there was no correct way to operate the tools: Splinter had a pair of chopsticks instead of cutlery and used them deftly, Donatello had settled the pronged tool between his fingers while Raphael and Michelangelo stabbed at their food with a firm grip around the shaft. Leonardo was the only one to eat using his left hand.

 _There's no correct way_ , I told myself, _so just do it._

There was a four-pronged utensil at my right hand and I picked it up carefully. I didn't fail to notice that Leonardo's keen, navy eyes darted to my hand. I tested the prongs with a finger and flicked my whiskers. Though not overly sharp, this thing could cause damage with enough force. I was armed and Leonardo wasn't happy about it.

I did my best to ignore him and dug in. The pasta noodles were soft, the sauce creamy and flavourful, and the vegetables still slightly crunchy…

So good…

Maybe it was because I was using it again (because humans ate with these things, right?) or maybe my subconscious mind was filtering out the last four years. Either way, I was halfway through my meal when the word hit me with all the power of lightning. "It's a fork," I whispered, staring at the utensil in my hand and turning it over with newfound pleasure. I knew its name now; it was strangely comforting. "I remember. It's a fork."

Everyone stilled at my words. Well, not everyone. Raphael smirked at me. "Yep! When ya figure out which one's the knife and which one's the spoon, let us know." Then one of his amber eyes shut and opened again: a wink.

My ears flipped back as my face heated. It was obviously not meant as an insult. I was being teased. Raphael was teasing me.

Just like Lion and Jaguar and Lynx and White Tiger had. Just like a family did. But I wasn't a part of their family. I wasn't a part of any family. I was a…guest here, until Donatello helped me. Raphael meant well but he was being unrealistic. I was not worthy to be part of their family; I had betrayed once already.

I looked away hastily back to my meal.

I finished before they did yet didn't know what to do. Should I put the dishes away? Should I get up? Should I leave the room? Should I wait? I didn't know what the polite thing was to do here, in this situation. With my pack, after meals, we had always gone to the Sun Room and lazed, groomed each other a little. I very much doubted that these mutants would appreciate such antics from me, so I stayed where I was, hands in my lap and head bowed to avoid eye-contact…

"Snow Leopard?"

I startled Michelangelo beside me when I jerked my head up to meet Master Splinter's eyes but all he did was flinch. I didn't look at him, keeping my gaze on the master of the house.

He smiled at me. "You are welcome to retire to the living room," he said. "Put your dishes on the counter. Leonardo will take care of them since it's his turn this week."

My eyes flicked to those piercing navy ones which I knew were already regarding me, weighing, measuring. He reminded me of Mistress; her eyes had missed nothing, either.

"Yes, Master Splinter." About to rise, I noticed the old rat open his mouth and quickly turned my attention back to him just as he asked, "Did you enjoy the meal?"

I stiffened. Another question and yet this one felt the same as the others Master Splinter had voiced: gentle curiosity about my preferences. Quietly, I whispered, "Yes, Master Splinter."

He tilted his head toward the turtle closest to me. "You may thank Michelangelo for the meal since he cooked it."

It was an option and yet at the same time, it wasn't. I knew my duty. Turning to my left, I half-bowed in my chair. "Thank you for the meal, Michelangelo."

Duty and training dictated that I not move until I was acknowledged. He did not acknowledge me. I could tell that he was staring, his fear wafting through my nostrils.

"Ahem," Master Splinter hinted.

"Uh, you're welcome," Michelangelo finally squeaked.

I straightened, looked him straight in the eyes – those oh-so-pretty, terrified, blue eyes – and twitched my whiskers upward. He visibly relaxed at my cat smile, as did Leonardo whom I could sense fiddling with a kunai beneath the table.

Gathering my dishes, I rose, put them on the counter and left, making sure that I was still lower than their heads. No matter what Master Splinter had said, this would be a hard habit to break.

I was crossing the room, heading for the sofas in the corner, when a faint whiff of that familiar, spiky plant – the shampoo I'd used earlier – met my sensitive nose. On the closest couch to me, I saw a little head snap up to stare at me with eyes a paler amber than Raphael's.

A…cat?

My quick brain didn't fail me: this was Klunk. Klunk was their pet cat.

Klunk was not a mutant and not completely orange. He had a bit of white under his nose and a white tail-tip which he twitched nervously. When I stepped forward, he leaped up onto the couch's arm (all four of his paws were white, too), his ears back and his back half-arched, and he meowed loudly, revealing his teeth. It was a warning.

This was a language I understood since I had used it often with my packmates. Human or not before, I was a cat now. Stopping where I was, I took to the floor as if that was what I had planned to do all along, and lay on my side, baring my belly. I made sure to curl my tail loosely: I was not tense because I was calm. I was not a threat because all was well.

Klunk didn't believe me and leaped down from his spot on the couch, his fur fluffed out to make himself look bigger.

It occurred to me as the little cat neared that everyone was no longer in the kitchen and were watching us. I sensed them behind me, Michelangelo the closest – was the cat his? My keen nose picked up the scent of Leonardo's unsheathed katana (only one) but I smelled something else in his hand that reminded me of the smoke pellets the Foot ninja carried. I feigned ignorance of their wary presence and divided my attention between them and the tomcat that was now only a few feet from me.

He approached on stiff legs, his ears still low, and his tail rapidly sweeping back and forth.

I yawned. It was not fake, either; despite my nap, I was exhausted, although I might have played it up a bit. I revealed my teeth fully, curling my tongue. I rolled more onto my side but kept my head up to watch the stranger, my tail-tip twitching slowly.

Klunk stopped and slowly, very slowly, his fur flattened and his body relaxed. He was still on his toes when he came right up to me and his tail was still moving but his ears were more erect, so I kept up my performance with a quiet but polite meow of greeting.

The sound made everyone flinch which would have spooked Klunk but I meowed again and laid my head down, closing my eyes. The worst I could get from this tiny furball was a scratch; I was confident he couldn't hurt me badly.

I heard him pad around my head, sniffing along my skull and neck. I stayed still and began to purr, my tail still flicking lazily. A light pressure on my ribcage told me Klunk had jumped up. Turtles and rat inhaled sharply but Klunk and I ignored them. He treaded lightly and nosed along my body, finally ending at my shoulder and perching there. At long last, he loosed a meow and purr of his own. I lifted my head and carefully stretched out for him. He touched noses with me: formal introduction made. He rubbed his head against my cheek and under my wide muzzle before jumping down and traipsing to Michelangelo with his tail in the air. He was the picture of smug accomplishment, having decided the stranger in his home was now a friend and the turtle could pet him since he was here.

The floor felt nice, cool and soothing on my aching muscles and my torn shoulder – I'd forgotten about that. I hadn't noticed any pain when I'd taken my shower earlier, too caught up in the feel of clean water and soap. Now, I wondered if the water had sufficiently cleaned the cuts, and that the glass was out.

I rolled onto my stomach, grimacing against the stiff pull, and lifted my head to eye my audience. Klunk sat on Michelangelo's shoulder, purring contentedly as he lifted his chin for a scratch. Leonardo had sheathed his sword and put away whatever explosive he'd had in hand. Donatello rested his weight casually against his bō but he didn't fool me: his intensity gave away his worry. Master Splinter was trying not to look shocked while Raphael just smiled as he leaned in the doorway.

He chuckled, drawing everyone's attention. "Cats," he quipped with a small head shake before winking at me (again!) and turning back into the kitchen.

Raphael was teasing me again. I had to figure out a way to let him know that I was an outsider and he should treat me like one. I should tell him that. I really should. I had betrayed once already, after all.

-:-

Please review.


	15. Chapter 15: Aftershock

**Queen Dove:** Nah! Mikey might've been a little freaked at Klunk getting close to Snow Leopard but it wasn't as bad as a heart attack. ;) Raph has his work cut out for him, that's for sure. Poor, poor, Snow Leopard. She's going to need more than a confidence boost after this chapter. :( As far as Leo's concerned...it'll take a while. Thanks for reviewing!

 **lizzybudd:** Cuteness - check! Angst - check! And now for some awful stuff! Muahahaha! It's funny that you mention my knowing cats because everything from that scene was either from movies in my head with cats or Wikipedia. That site has some of the best articles for cat behaviour! Pocket of sadness... It's about to become a full-fledged bucket! :/ I'm glad I made you laugh at the sheep thing. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **TMNT-Queen:** Aw, thank you! I had to have that scene with Klunk because Snow Leopard's a cat, too, and there needs to be some decent cat behaviour in my story! Snow still has the cat instincts, despite knowing she was human. Splinter, like Raph, has his work cut out for him, and it's all going to get worse. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 _Chapter 15: Aftershock_

The Sun Room, the Dojo and all the training rooms in Saki Tower had all been spacious, wide and large with high ceilings not unlike those of this underground lair. But where those rooms had all had my packmates in them, their bodies close to mine, this lair did not, and I found myself aching for the small space beneath Raphael's cot in Donatello's lab, if only to alieve the openness.

There was a low table set in front of the couches in the lounge area and I immediately slithered underneath it. I was silently grateful that I wasn't as big as Lion or White Tiger because this would never have worked otherwise. Tugging my tail up around my nose, I did my best to relax but wished I had a wall so I could defend myself from at least one direction fewer. I didn't really think these mutants would hurt me but still…something inside me told me that their getting used to me would take a lot longer than anyone thought.

I could hear the quiet, familial chatter in the kitchen. Most of it was centered around what had just happened in the living room with me and Klunk, and I did my best to ignore it.

When a strange chirping filled the air, Donatello ran from the kitchen to his lab.

"Genius stuff," I heard Raphael grumble, but I wasn't so sure. I crawled out from under the table, sniffing the air. The fear had gotten stronger. My tail twitched.

Donatello was worried about something other than his family and me.

He returned and called into the kitchen as he came into the living room. "You guys should probably come see this." There was a tremor in his voice that I didn't like, and I retreated under the table when he neared.

He tried to smile kindly but the expression was too taut. "Come out, Snow Leopard. This concerns you."

Me? How? What was it? What had happened? Despite my questions, I held my tongue and slinked back into the open as the family exited the kitchen, Master Splinter in the lead.

"What's up, Donnie-boy?" Michelangelo asked, his eyes flicking to mine for half a second and then away. Klunk was on his shoulder.

"I created a program a few years ago to constantly run for files with special key words like mutant, turtles and ninja, usually in some combination thereof."

"Great. And?" Leo pressed.

"My program picked up a file." I wrinkled my nose at how foreboding he sounded but then he kept talking. "It contains the key words, along with all of our names but the title of the file is, well, her name." Donatello tilted his head in my direction and I almost scurried back under the table.

I could feel my eyes go round. My tail quivered.

"Snow Leopard?" Raphael gaped and Donatello nodded.

"It's a video. I haven't watched it."

A video? Of what…?

Mistress. She couldn't dismiss me from the Foot Clan in person so she had doubtlessly sent a video to the people she was sure sheltered me to deliver the message.

"I would see it, please," I whispered, inching forward on all fours. "You are…welcome to watch with me since my presence concerns you."

Master Splinter nodded and motioned for his sons to follow me and Donatello into his lab to the computer that was there.

I declined the offer to sit down, standing two feet off his right side while he took the chair at the desk. Leonardo was directly behind his brother while Raphael stood closest to me, and Michelangelo on Leonardo's other side. Master Splinter folded his hands over his cane on Donatello's left.

Brown eyes darted to me. "Ready?"

"Yes." My reply was barely a breath but it was audible, and Don pressed 'play'.

It was surveillance footage from Father of Mistress's throne room. Father of Mistress knelt on his dais while Mistress bowed herself to the floor. Lynx, Jaguar and White Tiger stood several feet behind her, and Lion was missing. My heart squeezed as I remembered how badly I'd wounded him. Had he succumbed to his injuries? I hoped not. I could never bear the guilt of causing a sibling's death.

Father of Mistress spoke, his voice clear on the video and filled with malice. "Karai, never in my life have I ever heard of such spectacular failure. One of your own personal guard betrayed this clan, aided a mortal enemy, and almost killed one of her own teammates."

Almost. I breathed a sigh of relief. Lion still lived.

"Were you not my daughter, your punishment would be far worse," Father of Mistress continued. "As it stands, I'm stripping you of your guard. They're now mine. They will no longer answer to you but to me. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Father," Mistress (Daughter of Master) murmured.

"Is that clear, cats?" he demanded of my siblings.

"Yes, Master," all three answered.

"Good. Get off the floor, Karai, and stand over there." He waved a hand and Daughter of Master obeyed, her movements quick and jerky, disappearing off-camera.

Master took a moment, basking in his new acquisitions. Then: "Step forward, Lynx."

My breath caught. My heart stopped, my body froze and my soul screamed. For reasons I did know, I was terrified for my sister.

I was barely aware that the five mutants around me, too, held their breath as Lynx stepped into the same spot Daughter of Master had occupied.

"You are trained to answer my questions truthfully. Is that correct?"

Lynx inclined her head. "I am trained to answer all questions truthfully, no matter whose they are, Master."

Master slowly rose. "Then answer me this: did you or did you not allow your teammate known as Snow Leopard to escape this tower with one of our enemies?"

"Oh, no." The rasp came from Raphael but I paid him no attention.

My sister answered, "I did."

"Did you or did you not knowingly deceive your team, your former mistress and this clan concerning Snow Leopard's actions?"

"I did."

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

There was no telling what was about to happen but my sister had committed treason. We all knew the penalty for treason but maybe Lynx could say something to appease him? _Please, please, let her appease him._

My precious imoto's ears went back. "I regret none of my actions. I know the truth of what we are. We are human, stolen and changed by you for your gain. To be nothing but your pets and slaves. Wherever my ane is, I hope she's planning to end you. I hope she wipes you from existence." She took a deep breath, revealed her teeth in a full snarl, and _turned her back on Master!_ "Is this what you wanted?" she spat at Daughter of Master. "Is this what you wanted from us, _Karai_ , daughter of _the Shredder_?"

My heart leaped into my throat and blocked all sound when Master moved. Lynx had had her say, had had her last words, and now it was time for judgement. I knew that she knew he moved, noticed the unsheathed katana from his waist, but she did nothing to stop him.

Lynx, my little sister, fell when that sword went through her throat.

The intensity in the lab splintered as Michelangelo whimpered and buried his face in Leonardo's shoulder, his elder brother hugging him with one arm. I heard Raphael take a single step closer to me but I didn't move. I was frozen in place, my eyes watching those hated hands wipe that hated sword on my beloved sister's haori.

Master strode right up to Jaguar and White Tiger, and my heart pounded in its new place in my throat. My hands curled into fists. My brothers. What would he do to my brothers? If he hurt them…

Both of them crouched lower, subservience radiating through the screen. Master stared down at them. "I do not tolerate failure," he said in a low, clear voice, "or traitors. Is that understood?"

Jaguar and White Tiger bowed their heads. I could see them shaking. "Yes, Master. We understand."

"Good." Master smiled.

The screen went black.

The video was over.

No one moved. I felt their unmoving-ness. Their fear and horror gnawed at me like teeth worrying a bone. My breaths were quick and shallow, my heart a rapid flutter. My head hurt. My soul ached.

The ground rose to meet me when my legs gave out.

A strange keening met my sensitive ears and I covered them to drown out the awful noise. It took me several moments to realise that the noise came from me. I keened and whined, shrill and loud, my grief ripping through every vein, muscle, organ and bone in my body.

Lynx was dead.

Lynx. My Lynx. My dear sister. Because of me… Gone. Helped me. Got killed. Because of me.

Never should have left. Should have been a good pet. Never should have asked questions. Questions, questions, questions. Questions had gotten me into this, gotten her killed. Stupid, terrible, horrible questions. Me and my stupidity. Me and my curiosity. I had killed her. As if I had wielded the sword myself. I had killed her.

My brothers were prisoners – slaves. _What have I done?_

My Lynx. My precious sister. Dead. Gone. Because of me. All my fault. It had never not been my fault. It was all my fault.

I crumpled forward, falling onto my forearms, pressing my forehead to the floor. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I told the concrete. "Forgive me. Lynx, my sister. Imoto, forgive me." I continued to cry and my tears formed a puddle beneath my fur…

-:-

Please review.


	16. Chapter 16: Understanding

**Guest:** Mikey's still a bit on the fence where Snow Leopard's concerned. Don't worry, though, she'll get a hug from him eventually. Thank you for reviewing!

 **QueenDove:** I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Everyone, with one notable exception, is still wary of her but they'll come around. :) If all goes to plan, Leo will thaw out sooner than you think. Thank you for reviewing!

 **lizzybudd:** I had to kill Lynx, I'm sorry! It's imperative to the story and Snow Leopard's development. Also, it's about to hit home for one turtle in particular. Thank you for reviewing!

 **TMNT-Queen:** I was so proud of Lynx and what she said. That's important for Snow Leopard. Thank you for reviewing!

 **prangersturtles:** It's important! Also, I haven't exactly killed anyone in any of my stories and you know how authors get. We just need to kill someone! In my defense, this was not some willy-nilly, tear-jerking ploy; Lynx's death is crucial for many things to happen, including the turtles' understanding of their guest. Again, I'm sorry for upsetting you. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Poor Snow Leopard, indeed! She has a lot more to deal with now. Hopefully, at least one turtle will step up. Any guesses? Thank you for reviewing!

 **Author's Note:** I apologise profusely and adamantly for my lack of updates! I'm so sorry! School has been hectic, etc, etc. I also wanted to finish "Flash" because 1. it was almost done anyway and 2. it was my more popular of the stories. Now that it's over, though, I'm able to give "TFM" my full attention. I hope to get more chapters done within the next month-ish because of holidays. Thank you all for being patient! :)

 _Chapter 16: Understanding_

Sister. It meant the same thing as brother to Leonardo. It meant someone to love and protect at all cost. Leo had lost count of every time he had protected his brothers and every time they had protected him. It was what they did. It was what Master Splinter had said when he'd named him leader at twelve years old: a leader is not a leader first but a brother and a son. Before all else, they were family.

And Snow Leopard just lost hers.

Leo couldn't even begin to understand what it would be like to lose one of his family and he felt his soul shudder at the thought. He couldn't bear to think about losing Michelangelo, his Mikey, who was their light, bringing so much joy and happiness to the family. He couldn't bear to think about losing Raphael, his Raph, whose passion for life and survival burned like fire but was tempered by a soft and gentle side that showed only rarely. He couldn't bear to think about losing Donatello, his Donnie, whose gentle and intellectual nature easily balanced with their violent lives and whose peace Leo often sought out in times of turmoil. His brothers, his cherished, little brothers. He didn't know what he would do without even one of them beside him. They had been four all their lives and four they would remain for as long as he could make it last.

Mikey had buried his face in Leo's shoulder when Shredder had killed Lynx and had yet to move. From his position on his shoulder, Klunk mewed, rubbing against his face with no response. While Snow Leopard continued to weep, his little brother looked up at him with tears on his own face. Baby-blue eyes searched his, begging him to do something about yesterday's enemy who was emotionally traumatised, and Leo wiped his thumb across those damp cheeks.

"Snow Leopard?"

Leo spun at the voice and stared at Raph who knelt on the floor and was almost nose-to-nose with the massive cat. He didn't touch her – that would have startled her – but he spoke quietly: "We're gonna get 'em out, Snow Leopard. We're gonna get yer brothers out."

Snow Leopard lifted her head, bloodshot, green eyes staring at Raph. Dark lines traced down her face through her fur. "Master will never let them go," she rasped. "There's nothing you can do."

"So yer gonna give up? Without even tryin'?"

She opened her mouth but nothing came out. More tears fell. "I don't want to give up but everything I've done has led to nothing but pain and death for everyone."

"It ain't yer fau-"

"Isn't it?" she spat, her eyes flashing, her lip lifting. "Isn't it all my fault? Questions, questions!" She jerked away, burying her muzzle in her arms again. "Questions got me into this. I wanted to know when I should have just ignored that stupid nightmare." She peeked over her arms and Leo's blood chilled in his veins when those icy eyes landed on Mikey but she didn't say anything to him.

She looked back at Raph. "You don't want to help me."

With that, she pushed herself up onto all fours and trudged away, sliding beneath the cot and into shadow. Leo saw only a sweep of her tail before she was swallowed up in the darkness.

A shift of movement behind Leo alerted him to Master Splinter advancing and Don standing from his chair to take Mikey under an arm, having a care for Klunk. Raph looked up at them with the fierce amber Leo usually only saw on the battlefield.

"We gotta help her."

Leo glanced sidelong at Sensei who gave him the same look. He knew his father was about to speak but he had to have his piece first. "Perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere?"

"Why? This is about her!"

"I'm not denying that, Raph, but Snow Leopard needs time. She just lost her sister. Give her a minute."

Raph blinked, his anger derailed. He cast his eyes to the cot he had occupied, to the shadows beneath that hid their guest, and he nodded.

As they filed out, Leo saw Don hesitate after urging Mikey out the door.

"I'll leave the door open, Snow Leopard," he said.

There was a beat of silence then, "Thank you, Donatello. You have my word that I will not touch anything."

Donnie made a little "hmm" of agreement and left, Leo safeguarding him with his eyes and quick reflexes.

They returned to the kitchen, to the meal still spread on the table and the dishes on the counter. It was so mundane after what had just happened, seeming to be from a lifetime ago rather than from within the last ten minutes. Leo could feel the vacancy that was on his face as he absently cleared the table so his family could sit. It was his turn, after all.

No one said anything until he was finished but his butt had hardly touched chair when he overrode whatever Sensei and Raph were going to say. "She saved our family," he said, low and clear. "We owe her our family."

"Are you serious, Leo?" Mikey gasped, Klunk in his arms.

"What brought ya 'round so fast?" Raph demanded. He meant it honestly but it came out needling.

"My son, I admit that I'm a little concerned, as well. We cannot jump into this blindly."

"We're not," said Leo. "We're discussing this. That's what this talk is for, right, Sensei?"

Master Splinter inclined his head but his furry brows were low over his eyes. "Leonardo, would you care to explain this sudden turn in your behaviour towards…our guest?"

Leo dropped his gaze to his hands on the tabletop. He sighed. "I know what it's like to fail the family."

The statement was met with silence and he continued, "I'm not saying that she did but she thinks she did, and…and I get that."

"You've never done anything like that," whispered Mikey. His eyes were wide in his face, seeking understanding through the horror.

"I've never gotten one of you killed," Leo corrected. He did not look at Mikey but at Don whose own face was filled with that selfsame guilt, fresh as it still was. "But the guilt is still there. But this isn't about me or us –" he would never blame Don for what had happened to Raph just last night – "this is about Snow Leopard. Her sister is dead and her brothers are enslaved by the man who's an enemy to everyone at this table. We owe her Raphael's life, and she's saved all our shells in passing." He looked to Sensei who watched him with weighted eyes. "Debts must be repaid, Father."

Sensei nodded with a solemn, "Hai, my shisoku. Yes, they must be."

"Not to be a Debbie-downer," Don said carefully, "but how exactly are we going to break into Saki Tower and rescue two or three mutant cats that are trained to kill us?"

Raph spoke, "She's comin' with us. The other cats will trust her."

"Okay, fine. Here's my next question: how are we going to rescue two or three mutant cats that are now part of _Shredder's guard_? Shredder won't let them out of his sight, not until he knows they won't betray him. For all we know, that means brain worms or mutagen or brainwashing – or even all three because that's how bad our luck is! And if that's the case, then having Snow Leopard there won't make a difference."

"Then we move quickly," said Leo. "Our window of opportunity might be small but –"

"We don't have a window at all, Leo, is my point!" Don's voice rose a bit but not enough for him to be yelling.

"What d'ya mean, Donnie-boy?" Raph asked.

Don took a deep breath and spread his hands over the table, palm-up. "I mean that that video was footage from just after dawn this morning. It's been more than ten hours since. If Shredder means to brainwash them or whatever even more, the process would already be underway." He met Leo's eyes and Leo hated seeing the despairing failure there. "We're already too late."

"There's nothing we can do?" Mikey said quietly.

"For now. There's nothing we can do _for now_ , and I don't really think taking an emotional, mourning predator into a war will help," said Don.

"We can still help her, though," Leo put in. "She has four years of Foot training to get over. She has habits she needs to let go of. We can help her do that and maybe, Don, you can help her find out who she was. In the meantime, we should probably get a room set up for her since it looks like she'll be staying for a while."

"Which reminds me!" exclaimed Raph. "Mike, she's lookin' for a new name. I told her yer good with namin' stuff. That okay?"

Obviously it wasn't, from the look on Mikey's face, but Leo felt some of the tension leave his shoulders when Mikey nodded slightly. "Uh, sure," he said. "Did she give any specifics?"

"Nope. Ya got full rein."

Mikey's fearful expression turned thoughtful and he absently rubbed Klunk's ears. "I'll think about it," he said.

Master Splinter rose from his chair. "We will all do our best to make our guest feel welcome, my sons. When she's more comfortable, we should go over some house rules. Leonardo, kindly inform Ms. O'Neil and Mr. Jones of Snow Leopard's presence and tell them that all visits are cancelled until further notice."

Leo nodded. "Yes, Master Splinter."

When Sensei left, Don turned to Raph. "And you should probably go to bed. I saw you yawning during supper. Get."

Leo hid a smile when Raph tried to glower but it was ruined by his yawn. "Pushy doctor," he groused but he obeyed.

 _And then there were three,_ Leo thought, heading for the sink. Don and Mikey joined him, leaning against counters and watching him fill the sink with soapy water.

"Leo?" Mikey asked over the running water. "Do you think Snow Leopard's safe?"

Leo washed a couple of plates and rinsed them before he answered. "That's hardly a fair question. We're all dangerous in our own right."

"No, I know. I just… She looks at me a lot."

Leo had noticed this. The staring contest at supper, the silent glances at him in the lab. Something was going on behind Snow Leopard's icy eyes and its focal point was Michelangelo.

"She won't hurt you, Mikey," he said. He wouldn't let her hurt him.

"She gave us her word that she wouldn't," Don added somberly. Fetching a tea towel, he began to dry the dishes on the rack. "Her word is her honour and she's ninja, too. She won't go back on her word."

Leo lifted a brow ridge at his brother. "Is that why you so willingly left her in your lab?"

"I also left the door open but yes. It's like you said, Mikey: she's just a big stray."

Mikey made no reply, stroking Klunk's spine, and Leo sighed. "She needs time to get used to us, too, you know," he murmured.

Mike nodded. "Yeah. I kind of figured."

-:-:-:-

When the dishes were finished and his brothers had dispersed to their own devices, Don returned to his lab. He left the door open, letting Snow Leopard know that she didn't have to stay in here (though where she'd go, he didn't know), and sat down at his desk. He hovered his cursor for a minute over the video file. He wanted to delete it, get it off his drive and metaphorically bleach it from his brain; but he knew he couldn't. It wasn't his right. So he left it where it was on his desktop.

There was no sound at all to indicate that he wasn't alone here: no crying, no heavy breathing, not even a sleepy purr. He was…pretty sure that she hadn't left the lab.

He leaned down in his chair and frowned into the shadows beneath Raph's cot. It was hard to tell… Grey-green eyes snapped open, looking like shards of ice in the gloom and piercing him through.

"Sorry, sorry!" he said in a rush, reeling back. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

She watched him for a moment – her face was dry, as were her eyes – before slowly uncurling and sliding out from under the cot. She crouched low, not quite sitting (was she trained to not sit while in the presence of a superior?), and said calmly, "You didn't. I actually wanted to apologise for my behaviour. I didn't mean to throw your kindness back in your faces."

"You didn't. You were…upset." Upset didn't quite cover it, he knew.

She nodded. "I also wanted to thank you."

"For what?" He winced as soon as the question left his mouth because now she was bound to answer.

"For showing me the video. I know you didn't know what was on it, but I thank you anyway."

"Oh." What could he say to that? "Um, you're welcome. I'm, uh, sorry about Lynx."

Snow Leopard lifted her chin, her gaze level. "She died in bravery and defiance of her masters. I'm proud of her and I will honour her by remembering the good she did for me and for the pack. It was because of her that Raphael and I escaped the tower."

"I know," Don said, recalling Lynx's confession.

"Donatello, I request permission to ask you a question."

He blinked at her and the shock made him say, "You don't have to ask permission. Just ask."

Her whiskers twitched and she slowly sat down, watching him the whole time to see if he would protest. When he didn't, she said quietly, "How did you find out about our former…selves?"

"How did I find out you were human?" he reiterated.

"Yes."

"It was a blood sample, actually. When Mikey hit you with his nunchaku, that night we first met," he explained, seeing her confusion. "I was curious about you so I ran a DNA test. The results were…fascinating…and slightly unsettling."

"You haven't seen anything like me before." She didn't say it as a question.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Not even my brothers and I or even Master Splinter were human before we were mutated. You are unique."

She looked down at her hands, turning them this way and that. "I am unique," she echoed quietly. She glanced up through her lashes and her whiskers twitched. "I suppose that means that I should thank you again for not trying to eliminate us when we first met, though I'm sorry that we did not repay the kindness."

Donnie shrugged. "You were under orders. Karai and Saki don't go halfway when it comes to trying to kill us."

She opened her mouth, closed it, took a deep breath and opened it again: "…May I ask…why?"

Don smiled at her before sobering. "They put innocent people in danger to get what they want. You're living proof of that. We fight to protect the innocent. You."

"I have done nothing to warrant that protection."

Did she really think that? "You're an innocent who was brainwashed into thinking and doing things you wouldn't have normally done." He paused a moment, watching her. "You remember it." He didn't add the _don't you?_ He didn't want to force her to answer.

She looked away, her tail curling around her ankles, and that was enough of an answer for him.

"I won't ask you about it," he whispered.

"Thank you," she said just as quietly.

Donnie stretched in his chair, hearing his shoulders pop. "Well, I should probably head off for bed. Leo will have my shell if I'm not up for morning training."

Her gaze snapped to his, her ears up. "Train…ing?"

Three questions in less than five minutes: he was making progress, or rather she was. "Yeah. Every morning at seven. We missed today, though, because…well, you know."

She nodded. "You went looking for Raphael." Her whiskers flicked upward and her nose wrinkled in a strange expression when she added, "He is lucky to have you as his family."

Don felt a blush rise in his face and he cleared his throat. "Yeah, well, Raph's a bit of his own character. In all honesty, if we didn't keep him, I'm not sure anyone would." He smiled at his joke and Snow Leopard lifted her whiskers in that weird expression again. Was she…smiling? Was that how a cat smiled? Or just how she smiled because she didn't want to reveal her teeth?

Questions, questions, questions. He had a lot of them where she was concerned.

"Snow Leopard?"

She met his gaze to let him know she was listening.

"I would like to run some tests on you, mostly bloodwork and a couple other things."

Her gaze hardened a fraction. "I have the right to deny you your request and you will not force me."

"Of course. I'd never dream of forcing you. It would answer some questions that we have."

"You can always ask," she pointed out.

"But you're bound to be truthful, and some of my questions I don't think you'll be able to answer."

Her whiskers flicked. "And you like finding out. You don't like not knowing."

Don smiled, nodding.

"Very well, Donatello. I accept."

"Good. Tomorrow, then. After training and breakfast."

She inclined her head. "Yes, Donatello."

Fighting to ignore the obedience coming off her, Don headed for the door. "Oh!" He stopped and turned back to her. "For sleeping, you're welcome to the couch in the living room."

"Thank you, Donatello… Good night."

"Good- good night," he said.

-:-:-:-

I did not follow Donatello out of the lab when he left. My hearing caught more than one pair of footsteps trekking up the stairs, the lights went out, and all I could hear was my own breathing and the soft whir of Donatello's machines.

This darkness was not the same as the darkness out in the sewers but rather like my old room back at Saki Tower. The only light came from the machines, just like the light from under my old door. I could still see – vision like mine, I could see in near-complete darkness.

It wasn't strange to be alone in the dark but the openness of it pricked my spine. In here, I could almost feel Lynx lying down beside me to give my ears a wash and to entwine her tail with mine.

My heart hurt. Everything hurt. My little sister…

Shaking my head, I got to all fours and padded out into the living room, to the couch Donatello had told me I could use. I paused in front of it, eyeing the soft cushions and the worn-but-intact upholstery. Lifting a hand, I stroked the material and immediately pulled away with a grimace. It felt far too much like the carpet in no-longer-Mistress's rooms. I glanced at the low table but turned away from that, too. I could always return to Donatello's lab? But, no. I figured the turtle didn't normally hold company in that particular room which was very clearly his. I also didn't want to run the risk of accidentally breaking something. Sometimes, it felt like my tail had a mind of its own.

Plopping myself down in the middle of the room, I didn't know what else to do. I didn't know where else to go. I hated being picky but I would much rather not think about certain things…

A whisper-quiet whimper stole my attention and I canted my head toward the staircase.

There it was again.

It sounded like Raphael.

My paws carried me swiftly and silently to the second floor. My nose led me down the hall to a closed door. I hesitated but then I heard muttered words: "Stop. Please, stop."

My eyes widened. My heartrate quickened. I reached up and turned the doorknob. For the first time I could ever remember, I gained unwanted entrance to someone's personal quarters.

No-longer-Mistress would have flayed me.

I slinked across the floor, staying low.

Where was this turtle's bed…?

Oh.

It was not a bed. A large canvas hung from the ceiling, suspended between two points to form…a hammock. That was the word. Raphael slept in a hammock. I wondered if his brothers and Master Splinter did also.

Raphael tossed and turned in his suspended bed, blankets and linen halfway to the floor. I could smell his sweat and fear, and I realised it was a nightmare.

I could guess at the source.

"LEO!"

Every muscle in my body seized and I pressed myself into the floor, my ears back, but the cry had not come from Raphael.

It had been Michelangelo. I recognised the tone, the fear. Was I the cause of all these bad dreams?

Footsteps raced past Raphael's open door: Leonardo was awake and aiding his brother.

Perhaps I should ask him to also assist Raphael?

I hesitated, torn between the need to help and the need to stay out of the sword-wielding turtle's way.

Raphael sobbed quietly. "Don't leave me here. Leo, Donnie, Mikey, help me. Don't leave me here."

I left the bedroom and sought out Michelangelo's. It was too easy, the scent-trails strong and recent, and fears wafting on the air.

I eased the door wider with one hand, staying on all fours to appear less of a threat. Leonardo sat on Michelangelo's bed, his arms around the smaller turtle. They both looked strange without their masks and gear.

I steeled myself. "Leonardo…?"

Navy eyes that were almost black in the darkness went wide. Arms tightened around the ball of shell and limbs. Michelangelo whimpered at my voice.

"Leonardo, Raphael is –"

"Get out."

I blinked, confused. "But Raphael…"

"I said get out, Snow Leopard." He didn't raise his voice but the venom in it – just like Master: he would be obeyed.

Trembling, I beat my retreat, and I heard him soothe his little brother: "It's all right, Mikey. It's all right. I'm here."

Tears burned in my eyes. I didn't know where I was going but I wanted away from the fear. It filled my head and made it thick. I was dizzy with it. I wanted to throw up.

Except I was back in Raphael's room.

I watched him twist and fight against unseen enemies, and it hurt my heart. My pack had comforted me during my nightmares but Raphael's pack was busy.

It looked like we were both alone right now.

With tears streaking down my cheeks, I padded across the room and arched my spine against the cloth, against the hard curve of his shell. I purred quietly, letting the vibrations rumble through canvas and bone and air. I voiced no words because I didn't know what to say. My long tail flicked up onto the bed and across his chest; I felt strong fingers card through my fur. He settled eventually and I stood up on my hind legs to tuck his blankets back in around him. Dropping back to the floor, I rubbed against his shell one more time before curling up beneath him. I continued to purr, and his heartrate and breathing steadied.

I smiled to myself and closed my eyes. I knew I couldn't stay long but Raphael's snores soothed my aching heart. We were alone but at least we were together. It wasn't family, it wasn't pack but it felt like home, more than Saki Tower or the rural cottage in Japan ever had. It was a start.

-:-

Please review.


	17. Chapter 17: Gratitude

**Queen Dove:** Leo is a tad overprotective when it comes to his little brothers, especially the littlest. Raph and Leo both are about to get a bit of a wake-up call where Snow Leopard's sleeping habits are concerned. Hugs won't happen just yet but...something will, and it involves purring. ;) I'm sorry for making you an emotional wreck. I enjoy your rollercoaster comments. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Rhodesincolumbus:** Thank you so much! :D I'm sad "Flash" is over but I'm happy with the way it went. Now I can focus on this one more fully, plus "Broken Day" (Note to self: don't ever publish multiple stories at the same time while doing a teaching degree). Leo's actually coming around a lot sooner than I anticipated which is good because he can totally sympathize and empathize with some of Snow Leopard's emotions, and she needs to have that emotional safety net. Raph's doing very well with her, though, and it's only going to get better. Mikey will continue to have issues until a very specific point that I'm beginning to write and won't take place until later in the story. Thank you for reviewing!

 **lizzybudd:** I messaged you about your review but I want to thank you here anyway. Also, Snow Leopard is nothing but resilient. Things are looking up, funnily enough. Thank you for reviewing!

 **palpablefantasy:** WELCOME! Welcome, welcome, welcome! (Awesome username, by the way! Gosh, if only fantasy were palpable!) It's always wonderful to see new readers, especially for this fic which is OC and by default doesn't do as well. Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean a lot. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **CrimsonNote:** Thank you and welcome to you, as well! I remember you from your reviews on "Brother Mine" so it's wonderful to see you here. :D That's so kind of you! I'm sorry that you were probably rather sleep-deprived, but I'm thrilled that you like the story. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Author's Note:** Tomorrow is my last day of school for the semester (HAPPY DAY!) so my updates will undoubtedly pick up in frequency. Thank you all who have read, reviewed, favourit'd and followed so far! As an extra thanks, here's a 5000+ word chapter.

 _Chapter 17: Gratitude  
_

When Leo awoke the next morning, it was to Mikey elbowing him in the chin as he turned over. Holding back a sigh, he sat up, rubbed his face and looked down at his little brother. Mikey's nightmare last night had been a doozy – worse, even, than the series of bad dreams that had plagued him the week before. He knew Snow Leopard was the cause and while he didn't _want_ to blame her for his brother's distress…he blamed her for his brother's distress. It wasn't her fault that she struck terror into the hearts of everyone around her. It wasn't her fault that she hadn't known the truth of what she was and who Karai and Shredder were. It wasn't her fault…but he still blamed her. In his heart of hearts, he knew it was unwise of him and it made him feel like scum.

Looking down at Mikey, still asleep and oblivious to morning, Leo knew that laying blame would solve nothing. Snow Leopard was here to stay for an undetermined amount of time and it was his job as the leader of this team and the big brother in this family to not be a jerk to her. Taking a deep breath, he allowed all the emotions from yesterday – confusion, anger, worry, panic – to wash through him and then out of him. He let it all go. He made sure to let it all go.

"Hey, Mikey," he whispered, shaking his brother's shoulder. "Mikey, wake up. Time for training."

Mikey groaned, burying his face more deeply into the pillow. On his other side, Klunk meowed.

"Up, Mikey. If you're not ready when I come back, I'm using Sensei's toe-hold."

"Not the toe-hold!" he moaned, the thick fabric muffling his voice. "Please, Leo. Pity me!"

"You had my pity last night. Now you're awake and the nightmare's gone."

Mikey turned his head toward him and peered at him with one bright blue eye. "No, it's not. It's still in the lair," he corrected.

Leo sighed. "Mikey, I know you're scared but she's not going to hurt us." She wouldn't. She was far too timid. She wouldn't hurt them.

"You don't know that."

"Do you honestly think Raph would bring home an enemy, let alone be duped by one?"

"Well…no, but –"

"No. No buts. I don't expect you to trust her but at least trust Raph. You can do that, right?"

"I guess so…"

"Good." Leo rubbed his baby brother's shell and hopped out of bed. "You've got ten minutes. If you're not ready…" He trailed off warningly.

"All right, all right! I'm getting up! See, look! Up!"

Carefully hiding his smile, Leo let himself out. He spotted a light under Don's door and heard movement within the room. He shook his head. Either the genius had woken up on time for once or, and the most likely, he had stayed up all night. Either way, Don was up and that left –

Why was Raph's door open?

Raphael kept his door closed _all the time_ , even when he wasn't in his room, so what was going on?

Uneasiness crept up the inside of his carapace as he creaked the door wider and let the hall light spill across the floor, illuminating Raph sleeping soundly in his hammock…and Snow Leopard sleeping just as soundly underneath the hammock.

 _Leonardo? Leonardo, Raphael is…_

His heart seized in his chest. Had something happened to Raph last night while he'd been busy with Mikey? Why else would Snow Leopard have entered _Mikey's_ room and asked _him_ a question?

Raph rolled over and the blanket over him slipped a bit to reveal his right shoulder – the shoulder Lion had torn apart only yesterday. Realisation dawned in Leo's soul: unlike Mikey, Raph didn't yell or scream or cry out in his sleep but he was prone to talking and only if the dream was a bad one. Raphael, his precious little brother, had been captured and tortured yesterday. In all the chaos of Snow Leopard's arrival, everyone had forgotten that. His hotheaded, passionate, little brother had been hurt and Leo, the eldest, had forgotten.

Ignoring the predator snoozing only a few feet away, Leo drifted forward. Tears stung his eyes and he reached out to gently stroke the scarred skin.

Raph stirred. "Mm, Leo? Time for trainin'?"

Leo blinked away his tears and held a finger to his lips, motioning with his other hand downward.

Raph's eyes went wide, amber reflecting the hall light, and he leaned over, careful to not upset his hammock, and saw the pile of fur, muscle, and teeth.

"The shell?" he hissed.

One of Snow Leopard's ears twitched, and Leo staggered back when a grey-green eye peeked open. That single eye took him in and then both went wide, and in the next second she was in the far corner of the room, cowering and shaking.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she rasped. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

Leo knew better than to lift his hands, even in supplication, so he spoke instead, sidestepping the hammock to get closer. "Snow Leopard, it's fine. You didn't do any harm."

She flinched at his voice, and he mentally kicked himself for growling at her last night.

"Leo, move," Raph bit out as he climbed out of bed. "Yer crowdin' her. Snow Leopard? I wanna ask ya why yer in my room."

Not a question but still she answered, "I – I heard you talking you in your sleep. I…was concerned."

"She came to get me but I was with Mikey," Leo said quietly. He inclined his head when Raph stared at him.

Raph sighed. "Seems like everybody's havin' bad dreams," he murmured. Leo watched him draw near the large predator and hunker down on his haunches. "I'm not mad at ya for comin' inta my room, Snow Leopard. It's okay."

"Clearly, it's not," she whispered, still trembling. She inhaled shakily and met Raph's gaze, saying, "I'm sorry that they hurt you."

Leo felt his mouth drop open but Raph grunted, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"Ya don't need ta be. It's okay. I'm okay now and that's thanks ta you."

She looked down, crouching even lower to the floor. "But I can't make your nightmares go away."

"Sure ya can. Ya did last night. Right in the middle of it, all of a sudden there was this rumble of thunder, and I wasn't in Saki Tower no more." He swiveled around to Leo, to his surprise. "Remember that summer we went out ta Casey's farm for a month? It was the worst for storms but we all sat on the porch and watched 'em roll in, one by one." He turned back to Snow Leopard. "Don't tell me that ya weren't the thunder with yer purrin', not with lungs like that."

Her whiskers twitched but she didn't look up.

"C'mon, Snow Leopard. Thunder for me before Leo drags my butt ta trainin'."

Her hesitation was clear but then, to Leo's mixed astonishment and panic ( _don't panic, don't panic!_ ), Raph stretched out a hand and stroked – stroked, petted, rubbed! – her head. The result was instantaneous: a deep rumble of sound from her throat. Leo watched in growing awe as his little brother petted this massive feline between the ears.

Then, wonder of wonders, she ducked her head lower and nudged against his forearm. She still purred but now her eyes were closed and Leo could feel her tension washing away. He recalled how often Klunk demanded a petting (which was pretty much whenever anyone was near him), and he concluded that their guest had gone more than twenty-four hours without physical contact. The poor kitty – _kid!_ he reminded himself. Because she had been human at some point.

She wasn't human now as she gently butted her head against Raph's gentle hand.

Who would have thought the family's hothead was a cat person?

"Ahem."

Leo whirled around, noting Snow Leopard skitter away while Raph stayed on the floor. "Sensei!"

"My sons. Snow Leopard." Master Splinter inclined his head to her, who was now in the opposite corner. "Training is about to start and, for once, Leonardo, both Donatello and Michelangelo have beaten you to the dojo."

Leo immediately bowed, chagrined. "Forgive me, Sensei. There was a…something that needed resolving."

The rat's black eyes flicked to the cat in the corner. "I see, and has the something been sufficiently resolved?"

"Hai, Sensei."

"Good. Then you three had better get downstairs."

About to move, Leo froze. "Three?" he echoed with Raph.

"Of course. Snow Leopard, you are more than welcome to join us this morning."

In her corner, she blinked, just as surprised as them. "Thank you, Master Splinter. It would be good to move a little."

Master Splinter said nothing more, only dipped his muzzle in acknowledgement, and then turned out of the room. Leo strode out after him, hearing Raph get to his feet. He knew he would never hear Snow Leopard so he glanced back and found her padding along on all fours beside Raph. He was wise enough to not comment when he spotted his brother trail his fingers along the tips of her ears.

-:-:-:-

Raphael's hands were slightly hesitant as he played with my ears on our way downstairs. He was nervous about touching me but he was touching me! After four years of no one but my pack, and then more than a full day of no one, those light fingers felt like food to a starved stomach. Instinctively, I tipped my head up, letting his hand brush along my cheek and jaw, and purred again.

"Yer far too easy ta please, ya know."

I narrowed my eyes in pleasure. "I know."

We entered the dojo then, and I was amazed at its simplicity: a couple of worn wave masters were in a corner, a collage of cracked mirrors for shadow-boxing on the far wall, thin mats on the floor, and racks of both practice and real weapons. My former training rooms shamed this one, but this dismal dojo served its purpose; after all, these mutants lived in the sewers.

Donatello and Michelangelo knelt side by side in the middle of the dojo and turned to face us, smirks for their brothers forming on their faces. When I crossed the threshold, however, Donatello's expression faltered for a second while Michelangelo's face fell entirely and he quickly turned back around.

Hesitating, I glanced up at Raphael who didn't even look at me as he twitched his fingers at me and continued into the room. I followed him, staying close on his heels and curling my tail around my ankles. When he knelt on Michelangelo's other side, with Leonardo beside Donatello, I sat on his right as far away from the orange-masked turtle as possible.

"Meditation first, my students," Master Splinter said as he knelt in front of our line. He lit the candles I hadn't noticed and closed his eyes. "Inhale and exhale slowly. Gather your thoughts, your emotions, and then let them all go."

Looking around, I saw all four turtles close their eyes. My tail tip twitched as the tension in the room built – built and built and built until I thought the very air would explode – and then so agonizingly slowly faded away. Beside me, Raphael's heartrate calmed, and I spotted a miniscule smile play across his mouth.

On his other side, Michelangelo was a ball of nerves, twitching, shifting and shuffling in place until Master Splinter voiced a quiet "Ahem" to regain the turtle's attention.

By the end of the session, while I had no experience in meditation, I was calmer simply because everyone around me was calmer, even if it was only a little in Michelangelo's case.

"Snow Leopard, come sit over here," Master Splinter said. "My sons, take formation for Kata Nineteen."

"Hai, Sensei," all four turtles responded.

Tossing my weight onto my back legs, I followed (still crouched) to where Master Splinter stood off to the side. He was the picture of ease with his hands folded neatly over a cane and his long, naked tail sliding back and forth along the floor, his black eyes focussed yet calm. He gestured with a hand to where he wanted me: right beside him!

 _She is a cat, he is a rat!_

Panic and terror from only yesterday. Trust, barely-formed yesterday, growing today. I knew Leonardo and Michelangelo watched me as I gingerly sat down beside the grey rat, my hands on the floor and my tail curled neatly around me.

"Begin, my sons! Watch your form!"

He watched them for a moment and then he turned to me. "Snow Leopard, I hope you slept well."

My eyes bugged, my heart stuttering. "Yes, Master Splinter," I answered.

"How are you feeling today?"

What was with his sympathy? "Well enough."

His eyes turned solemn. "I didn't say so yesterday but I am sorry for your loss. It's hard to lose someone you love."

I nodded but then froze halfway and I looked up at him with new eyes. He had lost someone. He knew. He knew what I did, what the turtles didn't. He knew how much it hurt to feel someone ripping out your heart.

I looked down, then back up, then out to the turtles where Raphael was, then back to Master Splinter. "…Who?" I whispered.

He smiled sadly. "My Master Yoshi. I was his pet. He, too, was killed by the Shredder."

Master had killed even then. "I'm sorry."

"He was very much like your sister. He died as defiant as she did."

"You must be proud of him."

"Yes, as I know you are proud of her."

I paused, regarding this wise creature. He was not only sympathetic but also empathetic. He had loved and lost yet loved anew with his sons. I was heartened by that, by him. He was living proof that I could overcome my grief and loneliness.

"Thank you, Master Splinter," I said with feeling.

He inclined his head to me. "Thank you, Snow Leopard. Yame!" he added in a loud call, startling me and freezing the turtles.

"Well done, my sons. Leonardo, you will defend yourself now against Donatello and Michelangelo." He cast me a sideways glance and I detected his sly smile. "Raphael, with Snow Leopard. Hajime!"

No one moved. The turtles stared at their father just as I stared at him.

"That was not a suggestion, my students. Get to it!"

Getting to my feet, I inched forward across the mats, and as I moved, so did Michelangelo. Donatello was soon to follow with Leonardo following suit. All three stepped away to an area away from me and Raphael.

When we were face to face, I turned away and, still crouched, bowed to Master Splinter. Clearly startled – what had I done wrong? – he nodded to me, and I turned to bow to Raphael who gave a half-committed bend.

"Ya bow ta yer opponent," he commented before we could start.

"It is respectful," I answered.

"Huh." The red-masked ninja changed the subject with a smirk. "This'll be interestin'."

I grimaced. "To say the least." I held up my hand, adding, "My claws will remain sheathed."

"Yer welcome ta use weapons. I don't mind."

"Let's just start with us getting used to each other's moves."

"Fair enough." The sai he had in his hands returned to his belt.

"Hajime!" Master Splinter commanded.

I crouched lower, my hands on the floor. I was more than able to fight on two feet, as well as four. The smile that curled my mouth was automatic: let my opponent learn how to deal with the animal.

We started to circle and my tail swept from side to side, my ears low against my head. A tiny bead of sweat rolled down his temple. The thought to play rippled through my brain and I licked my chops.

That bead preceded three more.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Leonardo do his best to not watch us while Michelangelo and Donatello didn't even bother to try, even though they were the ones who were supposed to be attacking their elder brother.

A blur of green, and I skipped to the left (my cut shoulder pulled a bit but not enough to make me stumble), letting Raphael blow past me. He pivoted – he was almost as fast as Leonardo! – and came at me again. I neatly dodged his second, third and fourth attempts to tackle me and I led him around the dojo. I never let him touch me and I could tell he was getting frustrated with his narrowing eyes and gritting teeth.

Watching him, it was obvious he was a heavy hitter; the strength behind his missed blows was no joke, and I wondered if the other turtles were just as strong. He liked using his hands but his left side was unguarded when he went for uppercut and hammerhead punches. Despite favouring boxing, he was quick on his feet. He liked to turn a lot, and it took me a few seconds to realise that he was using his shell to block and guard. My keen eyes spotted scratches and scars in the scutes, and I knew the shell had saved his life many times over. That kind of protection was something I would never have, and would have to be something to watch out for; it would suck to have that kind of hard mass land on bones.

We continued around the dojo and Raphael hadn't landed a single hit.

There was a thump of hard wood on the mat: Master Splinter's cane. "Don't play with your opponent, Snow Leopard. Take him down."

My eyes never left Raphael but I nodded. "Yes, Master Splinter." My muscles coiled and then released inside of a second, launching me forward. Raphael never saw me coming and then I was on top of him, my back legs pinning his while I rested one hand on his chest, the other at his throat.

He gasped and laboured to breathe, and I quickly retreated off of him. I'd accidentally winded him when I'd tackled him – or maybe it had been my weight on his lungs and diaphragm?

"Holy…shell!" he squeaked, rolling onto his side and hacking.

"Raph?" Donatello and Leonardo both broke off their mock-fight to turn for their brother but Master Splinter thumped his cane, stilling them.

"Very good, Snow Leopard," he said, coming forward. "You will have to teach my sons to anticipate such speed and accuracy. Raphael, are you all right?"

"Fine," he gasped. He cleared his throat and repeated, "Fine" in a calmer and more controlled manner.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," I murmured.

"Ya didn't. Took me by surprise is all." He glanced at me but the look in his eyes was wary.

Now it was official: I had scared Raphael. I single-handedly ruined whatever relationship existed between us. Family, he was not. Pack, he was not. But I had felt safe with him as a foothold in this new life I was trying to make or find for myself, and I knew he had felt safe with me. And now that was gone.

"Let's go again." His voice shattered my reverie and I stared up at him. His amber eyes were calm and resolved once more, no fear or wariness in them at all.

"Once more, my students," Master Splinter called, retreating to the side. "Then we'll have breakfast."

-:-:-:-

It was after their meal of cereal and omelets (I didn't eat, still full from yesterday), that I cautiously approached Donatello who was on his way to his lab.

"Hello, Donatello," I said.

The turtle jumped a foot in the air and whirled around, one hand reaching for the staff on his shell until he spotted me. "Geez, Snow Leopard! Don't do that! You almost scared me out of my shell!"

"Apologies," I murmured, ducking my head to hide my smile because turtles' shells were attached to their bodies and being scared out of one was physically impossible.

"You ready to start?"

"Yes."

"Well, come on in, then."

I forced myself to not hesitate when I entered the lab but the remnant smell of salt from my tears yesterday hardly helped.

"Sit there and I'll be right with you," Donatello said, gesturing to the cots along the wall.

I obeyed, sitting as a human would on the cot, with my short legs not even reaching the floor. I took the opportunity to look around because the last two times I'd been in here had been out of necessity. Now was my chance to sate my curiosity, and I didn't want to miss it. The whole place was larger than I'd noticed and very bright; pot-lights were in the ceiling, lamps were on the desks, and more than one computer screen glowed. My ears twitched, catching the whirs and clicks of whatever machines were in here with the computers, along with the distant and rhythmic _drip-drip_ of water. Worn books were everywhere: on tables, desks, chairs, and shelves. Chemicals and disinfectants drifted through my nostrils, strong but tolerable; and beneath it all was a feeling of curiosity and peace. It was strange yet comforting and I settled more deeply onto the cot, my tail sweeping slowly back and forth along the blankets.

"Now, I have to ask…"

I looked up at Donatello who was halfway across the room, a tray in hand. "Go ahead."

"Do you… You're not afraid of needles, are you?"

Of course he would ask me that because he wasn't sure that if I was, I wouldn't defend myself violently. "No. No, I am not."

He nodded to himself and crossed the floor to me, setting the tray on a small bedside table. "Good. Raph's bad enough as it is."

Raphael was afraid of needles? The thought made me smile.

Donatello did his best to be professional but I still caught the trembles in his fingers as he rolled up my t-shirt's left sleeve to find a vein. I stayed calm and relaxed; if I was calm maybe he would be, too.

There was a tiny poke as he drew blood and then he dabbed it with a cotton ball. "Do you want a Band-Aid?"

"No, thank you. I'll be fine."

"Okay." He took the vial of blood over to a machine, hit a couple buttons and it started to whir. "The sample will take a few days so we'll have to wait."

"I can wait."

"Good. In the meantime, um, I've managed to get my hands on your medical records from the Foot but I'd like to take a look at you myself."

"Physical Examination," I concluded.

"Not a complete one," he said hurriedly, a faint red darkening his olive-coloured skin. "I wouldn't want to, um, intrude…or anything."

My head tilted to one side, and I took a moment before saying, "You're not a doctor…are you?"

His eyes darted to mine and I felt the tension around him ease. "No. At least, not that kind. I'm more of an engineer."

I knew that word but I had no context for it…or did I? I was sitting in a room filled with machines and books and tools. "You…make things."

"Yes. Being the family physician is not something I'd originally hoped to be. I do it out of necessity."

"That makes sense. You lead very…active lifestyles."

He chuckled at that. "Active? Try violent."

"I didn't want to label," I said smoothly.

With a wave of his hand, his tentative smile softened into a genuine one. "It is what it is. There's no sense in downplaying the truth."

I nodded and he returned to my side with equipment I had seen in the hands of the human doctors who had looked after me and my pack.

"Heartbeat and breathing first. Lift your shirt please."

I obeyed and he pressed one end of his stethoscope against my chest. He listened for a moment before moving it around to my back.

"Inhale," he directed. "And exhale."

I breathed deeply for him several times until he stepped away.

"Your vitals are strong," he observed quietly. "I've never heard anything so strong. It must be your combined DNA. It's only conjecture but your blood results will be fascinating once they come in…"

He continued to talk aloud and I let him, nodding along as I saw fit even though I had very little idea of what he was talking about. He performed his exam as he spoke, weighing me, checking my eyesight and hearing, and then moved onto my anatomy.

"They actually retract!" he exclaimed in a whisper, his brown eyes round as he held my hand and pressed my finger-pads again and again to make my claws slide out and in. "Do you have them on your toes, too?"

"Yes." I lifted my feet up on the cot to show him my not-human-shaped feet. They were very cat-like, essentially paws, and of course they had the same claws as my hands did.

"Incredible," he breathed. "Um…if I may, I'd like to take a look at your, um, teeth."

I opened my mouth wide, revealing my fangs for the first time on purpose. Donatello whistled low and leaned in.

"Incredible," he said again. "No wonder you don't use weapons. You're a walking, talking weapon yourself."

He straightened while I spoke, "It was to be expected, I suppose. Our…design focussed on our ability to not only adapt but to rely on ourselves as individuals and as a pack. Any weakness any one of us had was easily compensated by the strengths of the others. With a mentality like ours and coupled with our physique, we were, in essence, the perfect team. Or so we were," I added, looking away. "I guess I ruined that."

Donatello nodded, his brow pulled low over his eyes. "That'll be all for today, Snow Leopard. Thank you."

I stood, though I remained crouched. "Thank you for not judging me, Donatello."

He shrugged, a weak smile on his face, and I moved for the door, only to stop as my ears caught the sound of racing footsteps.

Then the door burst open and I dashed to one side to avoid being struck. The open door hid me from view but I smelled the arrival: Michelangelo.

"Donnie!" he cried, taking several steps into the lab. "Snow Leopard's missing! Raph and Leo are out in the tunnels, looking for her! Have you seen her anywhere?"

"Uh…Mikey?" Don began but he trailed off as I moved.

Sliding forward, I closed the door quietly and placed myself in front of it. "Michelangelo," I said, making him spin. "Forgive me for frightening you and your brothers but I was here with Donatello all morning."

Michelangelo whirled back to his brother to no doubt check him for injuries. Then he turned to me again, one hand on his nunchaku. "Get away from the door," he ordered stiffly.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. I have something to say to you." I had put this off for far too long. I should have told him yesterday when they had found me and Raph in the tunnels. It would have made this entire event easier - for them, at least.

"You know what this is?" the orange-masked turtle demanded, pulling a device from his belt.

"It appears to be a cellular phone."

"Yeah. Made by Don. And it's got this nifty, little button here that'll send an S.O.S. signal to my bros and get them back here."

"You and I both know that if I wanted to deal you harm, I would have done it already." I stepped forward and held his gaze – that pretty, blue gaze. "I know you're scared of me, Michelangelo."

His finger tapped the S.O.S. button and a shrill beeping sounded from what I assumed was Donatello's phone. I ignored it and continued toward him. Both he and Donatello retreated.

"I know you're scared of me and for good reason."

"Yeah! Right! You almost killed me!"

"I know I did. I didn't know any better at the time, but I want you to know something. It was you. It was all you. That night we met, when I attacked you and you screamed, you screamed for Leonardo, the one person you hoped could save you."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Michelangelo snarled. Behind him – or rather, beside him now – Donatello held his staff in both hands. After everything that had happened this morning and yesterday, he did not trust me to not hurt his little brother.

It hurt but I ignored that, too, and answered. "Everything. Michelangelo, you started me on my path to betray the Foot and Daughter of Master, and all because you screamed."

I held my arm out and parted the fur above the elbow, revealing the scars. Donatello wasn't so far away that he couldn't see them; he inhaled in shock. "Like you, I faced death. Like you, I yelled for the only person I knew could save me."

 _Leo!_

 _Daddy!_

"I didn't understand the nightmare that plagued me for days until Donatello told me the truth of what I used to be. With that truth came clarity. When I was not even seven years old, I was attacked by a dog. I yelled for my… my dad. I remembered him picking me up and carrying me into the house. I remembered the blood and the pain and the white teeth in my flesh. And it's all thanks to you. So…thank you."

Outside the lab, I heard the front door slam open and two separate pairs of racing feet. "Your brothers have arrived," I said quietly, sidestepping out of the way of the same door for the second time in a handful of minutes.

Leonardo was in first but didn't see me for the door. He bee-lined for Michelangelo. "What is it? Mikey, are you okay?"

Michelangelo's eyes were round with…something I couldn't name. I hoped it boded well for me, one way or another; I didn't want him to be afraid of me.

"Y-yeah," he stammered. "I'm fine."

Raphael spotted me behind the door and he cocked a brow ridge first at me and then at Donatello. "She was in here the whole time, wasn't she?"

"Yes," replied the engineer/doctor.

Leo turned slowly, his navy eyes falling on me crouched by the wall. I distinctly heard his teeth grind as he very slowly rounded on his brother. "Don…" he started.

"C'mon, Snow Leopard," Raphael beckoned to me. "Let's leave Fearless ta chew out the shell-head."

I dropped to all fours and followed him at his heels. Casting a glance over my shoulder, I saw Michelangelo watching me. Confusion was the only thing on his face that I could name. Confusion was better than fear. At least I had shown him my gratitude.

-:-

Please review. They make my soul happy.


	18. Chapter 18: Snow

**Queen Dove:** Thank you so much! Raph's really doing well with Snow Leopard, isn't he? So's Splinter. Splinter is no fool and he doesn't take chances lightly but he's about to take a really big chance on Snow Leopard. Hopefully it will turn out well. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **TMNT-Queen:** Don kind of, sort of gets chewed out. There's another pressing issue that's addressed but Leo does have the final say. As far as the guys trusting Snow Leopard goes...just you wait and see. Here's your update! Thank you for reviewing!

 **CrimsonNote:** I would feel annoyed, too, but Snow Leopard is patient because she knows how hard it is for these guys. Her patience is about to be rewarded, though. Thank you for reviewing!

 **lizzybudd:** The rest of the barriers are about to come down in a really big and semi-violent way! I hope "Neko" goes well for you. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **prangersturtles:** Thank you! Thank you for reviewing!

 **Author's Note:** This chapter was supposed to take place a while later but I was done with the angst. It's time to shine, Snow Leopard! Also, with the stress of school now over, I've more time and energy to dedicate to my stories. I honestly can't say when I'll update but I hope to get at least another two or three chapters up within the next four weeks. Thank you all for reading. Enjoy!

 _Chapter 18: Snow_

Don knew he was in trouble – oh, so much trouble. As soon as the door closed behind Raph and Snow Leopard, Leo inhaled. Don flinched at the impending chewing-out but was surprised when his elder brother just sighed.

"Don," he said quietly, "I understand your need to ask questions and conduct examinations and whatever else, but you _need_ to tell us – you need to tell _me_."

Don spoke in a rush: "I know. I know, and I'm sorry. I didn't even think to tell you and I'm sorry I scared you."

"You could have gotten hurt," Mikey put in a lot more bitingly than Leo.

Don's eyes snapped to his little brother's. "What is it with you?" he demanded. "You weren't this scared yesterday so what happened! And don't tell me it's just about those nightmares."

"Don't give me that crap, Don!" Mikey snapped. "You drew your bō not even two minutes ago!"

"What?" Leo gasped.

"I drew my staff because of how scared you were, Michelangelo. I wasn't sure if you weren't going to be the first to attack. Snow Leopard will not hurt us!" It wasn't technically a lie but it was far more hope for the best than it was truth.

Mikey opened his mouth to retort but Leo stepped between them. Leo gave Don a hard stare and he obediently took a step back. He usually never fought with his brothers and especially not with Mikey. What was with him?

"Mikey," Leo said, turning to him, "I thought I asked you to trust Raph."

"That was before we found out she could rip our heads off without us noticing! She's so silent, Leo! All the time! She's a ghost in our house!"

"This is about training this morning? Mikey, little brother, Sensei knew what he was doing."

"Sensei was never almost killed by that thing."

Don's breath caught in his chest. Never in his whole life had he ever heard Mikey refer to a living organism as a thing.

 _He's disconnecting himself from the situation. This is him coping. Compartmentalising. My heart-on-his-sleeves baby brother. Poor Mikey._

Mikey's eyes shone with tears and he sniffed. "Everything that's happened since yesterday only confirms more and more of what she can do. She's been _traumatised_! She saw Shredder kill her sister _yesterday_! She's emotionally imbalanced. She's strong and fast and _silent_. She's a better ninja than all of us combined because she's a _freaking predator_! And you're just going to _let_ an emotionally imbalanced predator waltz through our _home_?"

Don watched Leo take Mikey's shoulders and look him full in the face. "I know this is hard, especially for you, but, Mikey, it's just like you said: she's a big stray. What family she knows is being torn apart by the man who destroyed her life." He paused and Don could see him scramble to come up with something to make Mikey see…

"You're not afraid of Leatherhead, are you, Mikey?" Don asked.

Blue eyes darted to his. A head shake.

"Why not? Alligators are predators, and he's easily twice Snow Leopard's size." _Maybe,_ he added to himself. She crouched a lot and had never once stood at full height. LH was at least twice Snow Leopard's _weight_ so that also wasn't technically a lie.

"He's our friend." Mikey said it like it explained everything, and both Don and Leo shared a smile.

"A friend who also has severe anger issues," Don continued. "He's almost hurt us multiple times but every time it happens, we forgive him because that's what friends do and he can't help it."

Mikey's gaze dropped to his feet. "Yeah, I guess so."

"We don't expect you to trust Snow Leopard completely, Mikey," Leo said, ducking his head to catch Mikey's eye. "But we do expect you to trust us. Can I tell you something?" At his shrug, Leo went on. "Sensei pulled me aside after breakfast to tell me what he had talked to Snow Leopard about during training. He told her he'd lost Master Yoshi and that he was sorry for what happened to Lynx yesterday. He told me that he had both seen and felt the hope rising in her. Snow Leopard wants to move past everything she did and everything that's happened to her, including, as you rightly pointed out, her sister's death. Including, as you also pointed out, trying to kill you."

"She said that, too," Mikey murmured. "She…she thanked me just now for being scared that night when we met. I guess when I yelled for you, she had a flashback or something and she remembered yelling for her dad when a dog attacked her when she was a kid."

"We saw the scars," Don interjected solemnly at Leo's wide-eyed expression.

"I…I don't know if I can trust her, Leo. I want to, I think. She's a stray and a cat and she's so scared right now, but…"

Don sidestepped around Leo and put a hand on his little brother's shell. "It's a start, Mikey," he said gently. "And you don't have to trust her. Just trust us, okay?" _Don't just trust Raph. Trust us all. Four is stronger support than one._

Mikey sniffed and nodded, and Leo brought him in for a hug. Don kept his hand on Mikey's shell and felt shudders run through his body.

"Thanks, guys."

"Hey, that's what big brothers are for," Don said with a smile.

"Speaking of which, Donatello." Leo's eyes glinted mischievously. "No junkyard expeditions for you for a week."

"Oh, come on, Leo!"

Mikey sniggered but Leo remained stoic, save his eyes.

"Next time, tell us or next time, I'll make it a month."

Don opened his mouth to protest but he knew it was futile. "Fine, fine. Whatever."

-:-:-:-

Mikey exited the lab with his big brothers, feeling better, sort of. He still didn't know what he was going to do about interacting with Snow Leopard because, despite Leo's and Don's words, his heart still froze in his chest every time he thought her name.

Name…

Raph had asked him to come up with a new name for the cat! Dang it! If there was anything he was good at, it was naming things. And if there was anything that made his heart open to someone new, it was giving him or her a name. Doubtlessly, Raph had known this and trapped him, the sneaky reptile. Maybe he could retaliate in the form of some kind of pra –

Mikey slammed to a halt when he entered the living room. Raph sat on the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table and Klunk in his lap. Beneath his outstretched legs lay Snow Leopard in a tight ball, her t-shirt-covered back brushing Raph's calves with every intake of breath. Master Splinter sat in his armchair as unperturbed as if this were a normal occurrence: watching TV with a monster underfoot.

Except there was something off about this monster. Maybe it was the way she lay beneath Raph's outstretched legs, the same way Klunk hid under the couch when they vacuumed. Maybe it was how tense her face was – was she sleeping? If she was, it was far from peaceful. Maybe it was how tightly curled she was, her tail pulled up around her nose, and her arms and legs tucked under her head and belly. Maybe it was how ridiculous she looked in Casey's clothes.

"Ah, my sons," Sensei greeted quietly. "How did it go?"

If by 'it' he meant Leo chewing Don out, then, "Fine," all three answered.

"I'd like you to go patrolling tonight, my sons," Master Splinter continued with a nod. "Prove to our enemies that we are still here, despite recent events."

Mikey's heart picked up rhythm in his chest when Leo asked, "Will Snow Leopard come with us, Father?"

"No. She needs to get used to us, just as much as we need to get used to her, but she will not patrol with you."

"Plus the Foot are prob'ly under orders ta kill her if they spot her," Raph put in soberly, eyeing the cat under his legs. "Though I'd love ta see 'em try."

To Mikey's surprise, Leo chuckled at the joke.

The rest of the day passed without incident. It certainly helped that Snow Leopard slept through the entire afternoon and well into the evening. ("Cats sleep about sixteen hours a day," Don informed no one in particular.) Indeed, even Klunk chose to take his afternoon nap wedged in the crook of the larger cat's front legs (arms? She had hands, right?). Mikey did his best to ignore her, but when they were getting ready to patrol after supper that evening, he froze at the sight of her sitting upright on her haunches between the couch and the coffee table and watching them.

Mikey watched Raph leave them to go to her. He spoke quietly to her for only a few seconds, she nodded and then – Mikey's hands twitching over his nunchaku – she rubbed her head against his hand, and Raph – punch first, ask questions later Raphael – stroked her between her ears.

Beside him, Mikey knew his older brothers watched the exchange with just as much attentiveness but neither seemed upset by it. Letting it be for now, he followed his brothers out the door as soon as Raph rejoined them.

It was as soon as the door was closed behind them that Leo cocked a knowing smile at Raph. "She's doing better."

Raph shrugged, his eyes on the ground. "I dunno what else I can do."

Leo stopped and Mikey knew that look in his eye. "She was raised on a pack mentality. She knows nothing outside of the pack. She needs one and, Raph, you're it."

Mikey's mouth fell open just as Raph's did.

"But I can't, Leo," Raph protested. "I can't be that for her."

"Until things settle, you have to be," Leo said kindly. "Besides, you're already doing a great job with her."

"It's not like you have to do it alone either," added Donnie. "I think we're all making progress with her, bit by bit." Don glanced at Mikey on that last part and Mikey swallowed.

 _Very small bit by bit,_ he thought.

"Yeah," Raph said slowly. "I guess so. Any luck on that name yet, Mikey?"

"Not yet," Mikey replied, trying not to squeak. "Feels kind of wrong since I don't know her."

Amber darted up to baby-blue. "I trust ya, Mike." It was all Raph said and Mikey felt even more of a scumbag than before. He nodded silently and Leo turned away to lead them topside.

It was snowing again. Not the blizzard from the day before, these fat flakes fell lazily on a mild breeze that was nonetheless chilly. Mikey crossed his arms over his chest, his breaths puffs in the air.

"Come on, guys," Leo encouraged. "Running will warm us up."

They took to the roofs and followed their leader over low walls and alley gaps, ducking empty clotheslines and flipping over smoking chimneys. Running, the air whipped against Mikey's cheeks, stinging them, but he pushed on, focussing on his breathing and footing. All the while, the snow continued to fall. It was pretty. He always enjoyed snow. It was clean and white, a blanket to soften the hard world.

Though, apparently, not tonight. Shattered glass caught their attention and all four slowed at the edge of a building. Looking down, Mikey saw a large group of Purple Dragons making a smash and grab at a jewellery store. It was strange for twenty Dragons to rob a single store but then he spotted the massive figure of Hun in the gloomy alley.

"So…this is unusual," he observed, his eyes flicking to Leo's beside him.

"Hm." Leo crouched, one hand on the building's ledge. "I agree."

"I don't see any fuzzy company," said Raph. "We can take 'em."

"We have faced worse with worse," Don added.

But Mikey wasn't sure. There was something not right about this whole operation. "Leo…" he began.

Muffled footsteps made him spin but not fast enough to avoid the rock chucked at his head. _Too close!_ his mind screamed at him as he toppled off the roof.

"Mikey, Mikey!" his brothers screamed.

Mikey recovered in midair, shaking the dizziness away and snatching at the brick wall. His fingertips caught but the fired clay crumbled. At least it slowed him down a bit. He landed on his shell and wheezed when the air was knocked from his lungs.

"Well, look at what we have here." Hun's blond head appeared above him. "This night is just getting better and better."

-:-:-:-

 _Stay in the shadows. Stay out sight._ Master Splinter's order resounded through my brain as I raced the wind along New York's roofs. My tail streamed behind me, my fur flattened. I was outside! I was running! It was snowing! It was beautiful. The snow covered everything, softening hard angles, muffling harsh sounds, and brightening the dark world. The thick clouds were painted orange with streetlight and even the snowflakes were tinged with colour as they drifted along the air currents, rushing a bit faster between buildings.

I wished for Lynx beside me, and tears burned in my eyes for her as vengeance pricked at my heart but I fought to ignore it. Now was not the time for dark and angry thoughts. Now was for me. Master Splinter had given me such a gift, this wonderful taste of fresh air, and I would not spoil it.

I ran for miles, feeling my muscles pull and release with movement. It was all so easy, my footsteps silent as I ran on my hind feet. I reveled in the cool air – not cold, not with my fur coat, ha! I could run like this for hours. I wanted to run like this for hours, never stop, not for anything...

"MIKEY!"

I slammed to a halt and my ears swivelled, searching for sound in this muffled world. There! Metal clashing, shouting. I took off in a sprint, crossing a city block in less than half a minute. My training stopped me from jumping blindly, so I peered over the ledge and my twitching tail stilled. The turtles were under attack from a massive pack of Purple Dragons. A man the size of a small mountain had Michelangelo by the throat and was strangling him. Leonardo, Donatello and Raphael fought desperately but they had no chance against the sheer numbers that overwhelmed them.

Michelangelo was doomed.

Unless I did something.

The thought had barely formed in my brain before I leaped down and landed as silently as the snow behind a dumpster. Charging, I voiced no sound until I was right on top of the mountain man and then I _snarled_. Momentum and strength guided me: my claws dug into clothing and flesh, and I yanked, hauling the human away from the turtle and breaking his grip. In some corner of my mind, I noticed the fight cut off, noticed Michelangelo gasp and retch on the ground, and noticed his elder brothers' fear spike the air.

I spun, keeping my momentum, and the man staggered to the asphalt when I released him. He was on his hands and knees while I crouched in front of him. His beady eyes went round when they landed on me but then they narrowed and he slowly stood up. He truly was a mountain, with both its height and breadth, but so was I. He hoped to intimidate me with his size but he would learn that that was no easy task. I unfolded myself, matching him for every inch gained, until we stood erect and at full height. My whiskers twitched at the astonishment clear on his face. I wasn't as bulky as he was but I was just as tall. I let my tail sweep back and forth, and kept my claws extended.

His astonishment was short-lived; he smirked at me. "You think you can scare me, kitty?" he growled.

Quick as lightning, I grabbed his jacket collar and yanked him right up into my face. I paused for two heartbeats and then inhaled slowly and deeply through my nose. I bared all of my teeth in a humourless grin.

"I know I'm scaring you." I sniffed again, twice and quick. "Fear like that…guarantees a kill." My fangs were centimeters from his skin, and I smelled his sweat, heard his heartrate spike.

The turtles and humans behind me were silent (save Michelangelo who continued to wheeze), waiting to see what I would do.

I brought him closer, felt him shudder in my grip, and then I hurled him away. He struck the wall and slumped to the ground, though he was still conscious. I whipped around, as fast as only a cat and a ninja could be, and crouched over Michelangelo, my hands and feet braced on either side of him, my tail lashing. "Don't touch my pack," I hissed and I felt the turtle beneath my belly stiffen at the statement.

The blond man glared at me, this human with fragile skin and bones. "Traded in, I see," he quipped. "Bit of a downgrade for you."

I bared my fangs and knew the moment he would charge. I never gave him the chance: he took a single step and I lunged forward on all fours before twisting and slamming my feet into his chest. He rocketed back, his head striking the wall, and I was on top of him before he could blink, pressing my claws against his neck. His jugular pulsed, his Adam's apple bobbed. I gave him eye for eye for several long seconds.

"You will not touch my pack," I said.

He gulped, understanding the double-meaning, and I released him, backing away but still crouched, still ready.

"You should be running," I said, low and intent.

Every single human scarpered like a frightened rabbit, even the mountainous man who had been brought so low. I watched them go, watched them push past the turtles with fear trailing in their wakes. I watched Donatello holster his staff and fall to his knees beside Michelangelo who still lay on the ground.

At his brother's touch, Michelangelo gripped his arm and used him as a support to haul himself upright. Raphael sheathed his sai and slid an arm around his waist to help him stand while Leonardo kept one eye on the alley mouth and the other on me.

"M'okay," the littlest turtle rasped. "M'fine." It was a bare-faced lie, especially when he flinched at Donatello's gentle fingers prodding his neck.

"Substantial bruising," the doctor announced, "but nothing seems permanently damaged. You're bleeding from that rock, though."

I noticed Leonardo nearing, his katana slowly siding home in their sheaths. "I owe you another of my brothers' lives, Snow Leopard," he said quietly, his eyes meeting mine squarely. "Thank you."

I stared up at him, unsure of what to say and finally settled on, "You're welcome."

"I'm curious how you got out."

It was a question yet at the same time, it wasn't. I smiled a little. "Master Splinter let me out. He simply told me to stay out of sight." I ducked my head and added, "I must inform him that I disobeyed his command."

"He won't care, not when ya saved Mikey's life and when it was Hun ya saved him from," Raphael put in.

"Hun is one of Shredder's higher-ranking lackeys," supplied Donatello.

My eyes went round. I had attacked one of Master's servants? The punishment I would get for this! Hun was bound to run straight to Master and inform him of my reappearance. The order would be issued for my head, doubtlessly, and my brothers would lead the way. They would have to, and they would find me, and I was with the turtles and the rat so they would be found also.

What had I done?

Leonardo broke my reverie: "Come on. We should get off the streets before more trouble finds us."

Because it would if we stayed. These turtles were magnets for trouble.

Leonardo led the way up a fire escape I hadn't noticed, with Donatello guiding Michelangelo behind. Raphael beckoned me to follow and I dropped to all fours to pad alongside him once we were safely on the roof.

"Raphael."

"Yes?"

"Did…did I do right? Hun will return to Master and tell him what happened. Master will send the Pack after you and it's all because of me."

Raphael fixed me with a wide-eyed stare. "Are ya tellin' me that yer sorry for savin' Mikey's life?"

"No. I'm not sorry but…but I've brought more trouble down on your heads."

"Ain't no more trouble than we're used ta dealin' with," he grumbled. "Ya did do right. Ya saved our Mikey. Saved our pack. Ya did right."

I stared up at him because he had just said pack. He said pack!

A small smile crept across his face. "Ya said it first, ya know."

I blinked and looked down. Had I?

I had. _Don't touch my pack._ I had labeled them as mine for the entire alley to hear. Hun would no-doubt take that tidbit back to Master but…I didn't care. I had staked a claim and the turtles had accepted it. They were mine and I felt a hole in my heart fill.

"Also, if I ever hear ya call Shred-head 'Master' ever again, I'll stomp on yer tail."

I curled my tail between my legs automatically but I caught the amusement in his eye. He was joking about mangling my tail but not about Mas- Shredder. Shredder and K-Karai.

We made it to a manhole that was close by yet far enough away from the Purple Dragons. Leonardo held the cover for Donatello and Michelangelo but Michelangelo was not moving. Despite the blood trickling down his head, he looked up at the orange-tinged snowflakes still fluttering from the sky. Then he looked at me. He looked right at me, smiled right at me and said, addressing me directly, "Yuki. The Japanese word for snow. Your new name."

No one moved. I wasn't even sure that I breathed.

I rolled the word around in my head – Yuki? Yuki? It was familiar, my old nickname, yet new. It was a beautiful word for a beautiful thing. It was too good for me, coming from them, from him whom I had almost killed.

"Yuki?" Michelangelo asked. "What do you think?"

I dropped my head a few inches, my tail curling tighter around my ankles. "It's too good for me," I managed to say.

"Nonsense!" he retorted. "I don't go around giving out random names because they sound nice or whatever. Why do you think Klunk's called Klunk? It's 'cause he knocks stuff over _all the time_. That's who he is. Just as you're Yuki. You are snow. You are silent and cold and deadly but you're pretty and you're soft, and I don't mean your fur. Our enemies tried to make you hard but they failed." He said all of this rather quickly and finished with, "You…you soften the world."

 _I soften the world._

I looked up at him from my place beside Raphael. I looked him right in his beautiful, blue eyes. "Thank you, Michelangelo," I said with all possible feeling.

He shook his head, still smiling. "No, Yuki. Thank _you,_ for saving my life. And it's Mikey."

-:-

Please review.


	19. Chapter 19: Unafraid

**Rhodesincolumbus:** He really did a good job, didn't he? Thank you for reviewing!

 **TMNT-Queen:** Hahahaha! I'm glad you think so well of it! Goodness, your reactions are the best, I am not even joking! Thank you so much! Mikey's going to be doing much better from here on out so I'm glad that's over. Thank you for loving Yuki's new name; I had it picked out ages ago, with the help of a fellow FFnet writer who knows Japanese. I'm happy, too, that Yuki has a pack. Funnily enough, there's a difference between her new pack and her old one which will come to light sooner or later. Thank you again and thank you for reviewing!

 **MemeSoldier:** I will take your word for it. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Queen Dove:** You're more than welcome. :) Raph (I won't tell, I promise) has been doing such a good job with Yuki, and now the ball's rolling and even more people will get into working with her. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** To some extent, indeed. We'll get into that soon. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **NarutoFallenAngel123:** WELCOME! I'm so happy to see another reviewer and follower! Don't cry, don't cry! I'm thrilled that you thought so well of the chapter. It was certainly hard for me to pin down, though I had Yuki's altercation with Hun written weeks ago. Thank you so much and thank you for reviewing!

 **prangersturtles:** I hope that's good. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **lizzybudd:** Thank you for commenting on the comparison between LH and Yuki! I really hope to bring him into the story somehow. He's a great character and in none of my stories so far. That definitely has to change. ;) Funny that you mention connections because, technically, Don was the first: he told her she was human. Raph was second, when she busted him out and he trusted her enough to bring her back home. Third was Splinter when he told her about Master Yoshi. Now it's Mikey and him giving her a new name. All that's left is Leo, Mister Stick-in-his-shell. That should prove interesting. ;) Speaking of Leo, he is such a dad, I agree. I wrote the fight scene weeks ago and had nowhere to put it. I figured it would be a good point for Mikey to come around to her. It's also interesting if you look at it from an animal's perspective: Yuki was talking to Hun but she played on Hun's fear ("Fear like that guarantees a kill") and protected Mikey on all fours, like a normal animal would. Mikey saw her at her most primal and decided to trust her. That's a big step for him, I think. Thank you for liking Yuki's new name; it's a hit with a lot of people, apparently. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Thank you very much! I feel bad for Yuki, too, but she has a safety net with the Hamato Clan so that's good. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Author's Note:** This chapter is Mikey-heavy, mostly bonding between him and Yuki. All fluff. Thank you for reading, everyone!

 _Chapter 19: Unafraid_

We made it back to the lair with no further trouble, and the turtles didn't blindfold me, and I walked along at Raphael's heels with my ears up and my eyes peeled for everything and anything but nothing happened. There was a collective sigh from the turtles when Leonardo pulled a hidden lever and the wall in front of us slid apart to reveal the warm light of their (my? our?) home.

Master Splinter had waited up for us and rose from his armchair to greet us, though he stopped in shock when he saw me with his sons.

"We ran into some Purple Dragons, Sensei," Leonardo said quickly. "Hun was there."

The old rat's eyes were sharp as he took in his children one by one, freezing on Michelangelo and the blood on his face and the darkening bruise around his neck, both of which looked all the more gruesome under the bright lighting. He stepped forward and cupped Michelangelo's face, his ears low and his whiskers trembling. "What happened?" he asked.

"Forgive me, Master Splinter," I said, inching forward on all fours. "I willingly disobeyed your command to stay out of sight when I came across more than twenty Purple Dragons in battle with your sons. Hun, their leader, was strangling Michelangelo. I made the choice to reveal myself in order to stop him."

"She saved Mikey's life, Sensei," said Leonardo.

"And scared the crud outta Hun while she was at it!" Raphael added proudly.

Master Splinter's black eyes travelled from each of his sons' faces to mine. He smiled at me. "Thank you, Snow Leop-"

"Yuki," Michelangelo – Mikey – corrected firmly. "Her name is Yuki."

Master Splinter glanced at Mikey and then back to me. That smile widened as he said, "Fitting. Come and sit. Perhaps in the infirmary," he added as an afterthought.

Donatello nodded and guided Mikey into the lab. I followed silently and without invitation; I wanted to be near my pack. Like with my brothers and sister before, I needed their nearness.

To my surprise, Klunk trotted in with me, squeezing past me to get to Mikey who sat on a cot. The orange cat leaped up into his lap and curled up there, purring. Leonardo and Raphael both sat on the cot opposite their youngest brother while Donatello scurried about for supplies. Master Splinter took up position between the two cots, his hands folded over his cane.

I stopped at the foot of the cot which Raphael sat on and took a seat on my haunches, my tail curled neatly around my hands and feet.

"Now, my children, from the beginning and one at a time, tell me what happened," said Master Splinter.

So while Donatello saw to Mikey, Leonardo told him, his brothers adding details, and when he was finished, all eyes turned to me. I relayed my side of the events as I had been trained to: meeting the master's eyes and divulging all information down to the smallest detail. I ended short of Mikey naming me and Master Splinter nodded, satisfied.

"Thank you, Yuki. For my children's lives, thank you."

"You're welcome, Master Splinter."

A three-fingered hand fell on my head and rubbed me between the ears, eliciting a purr. "Told ya that ya did good," Raph quipped.

I smiled at him, revealing my teeth just slightly and my whiskers flicking. "I'll never doubt you again, Raphael."

"Raph," he corrected gently.

My euphoria made me say, "Let me guess, if I call you 'Raphie', you'll stomp on my tail?"

"No, I'll do this." He flicked my ear with a could-have-been-gentler finger. "Consider that a warnin'."

"Considered," I retorted blandly and prompted chuckles from the group.

Donatello suddenly appeared in front of me, his gaze stern but earnest. "You're not hurt, are you, Sn- Yuki? Did Hun hurt you at all?"

"I'm not hurt, Donatello. Hun didn't touch me."

"Good. Hungry, anyone?"

"I am!" Mikey replied, one hand shooting into the air…

 _I blinked, my eyes filling with four walls and rows of desks, books on shelves, and at least two dozen human children surrounding me…_

"Yuki?"

I blinked again and the image vanished. Raph peered at me, concern in his amber eyes. "Ya were lookin' a little spaced," he said.

I inhaled shakily and replied, "Forgive me. I was…remembering something."

No one said anything but everyone had a question in his face.

Shuffling my hands, I said, "It was a room with rows of desks. Human children sat around me, some with their hands in the air like what Mikey just did."

"It sounds like a classroom," Donatello said with a smile. "You were at school."

"Any distinguishing features in the room?" Leonardo wondered. "A flag or school motto?"

I frowned, thinking, trying to remember. "No. I didn't see any. It was gone too quickly."

"Keep us posted," said Donatello. "Any details you remember might help us narrow down who you were, um, are."

I nodded and watched him and Leonardo leave to make a bit of food. Master Splinter followed them out, saying something about tea.

No longer under the master's eye, I lay down, resting my head on my arms and closed my eyes. I fought a yawn because I didn't want to scare anyone with a full display of my teeth.

"Ya slept almost all day and yer tired?" Raph wondered idly.

"A lot has happened today," I answered without looking at him. "Besides, I'm sure Donatello wishes to continue his examinations tomorrow and sleep deprivation makes me grouchy," I added, as if it explained everything.

"Ah," Mikey said with understanding. "That looks very uncomfortable. Why don't you take a cot?"

I opened my eyes at that and lifted my head. "I'm used to the floor."

"Didn't ya have a bed at Foot Headquarters?"

"I had a few blankets that compiled my nest but it was all on the floor."

"You didn't have a _bed_?" Mikey's brow shot upward, his mouth a hard line.

" _Humans_ have beds, Mikey," I said gently. "It doesn't bother me."

Both Raph and Mikey opened their mouths to say who knew what but then seemed to understand that it was in the past and they couldn't change that. Their frowns softened, the lines in their brows disappearing.

Raph scooted over and patted the space beside him. "Come up, Yuki."

It was voiced as an order but the softness in it was more of an invitation. Nevertheless, I did as asked and leaped up onto the cot. It rocked beneath my added weight but steadied quickly as I kept my balance. I lay down beside the turtle, my head on my arms. I liked this; it was harder than Karai's bed and though there were a couple of blankets, they were not the overly soft comforters she had had. It was softer than the floor but not by much.

Gentle fingers interrupted my thoughts by rubbing the base of my ears and I purred, loud and long, closing my eyes.

"Favourite spot?"

"Mmhm." I was far too comfortable to formulate anything more articulate. Too comfortable and too content. It was peaceful, lying here beside Raphael with Mikey close by and unafraid.

There was a creak of metal joints, a light step across the concrete floor, and then fingers brushed the tips of my fur along my neck. I stayed still, not looking to see who it was because I already knew that it was Mikey. The hand was stiff for a minute or two against my neck before it evened out in long and smooth strokes.

"You really are soft," Mikey whispered.

I flicked my tail back and forth, and smiled. "Your hands are strong," I murmured, already half asleep.

Mikey sat down (the cot groaned but held) and stroked my neck while Raph continued to ease muscle knots around my ears.

I smelled the food before I heard the bearers enter and I sat up slowly just as Master Splinter came in with Leonardo and Donatello. The two turtles carried bowls and spoons and the rat held a platter of cups and a steaming teapot.

"Mmm!" Mikey smacked his lips when Donatello handed him a bowl. "Mushroom soup!"

 _Green eyes glanced at me sidelong. "There will be hot soup waiting for you when we arrive. That will go easier on your stomach, I think."_

The smell of it punched through my nostrils, setting my brain and the memory on fire. Lies, lies, lies! Broken promises. All of it – my life – was just one massive, broken promise.

"Yuki? Ya wanna retract yer claws or somethin'?"

My claws immediately slid back in – I hadn't even realised I'd unsheathed them. "I…need to leave," I announced. "I'm sorry." With all eyes on me, I rushed from the lab on all fours and hid under the coffee table in the living room. Pulling my tail up around my nose, I barely held back my tears.

So that was how she'd gotten me: a promise of soup. How desperate had I been to allow that ploy to work? Where had my family been in all this? Had they known? Or had I made a different choice, to run away? Had I…hated my human family? Had they hated me? Had I betrayed them, as I had Lion and Lynx and the others? How many destroyed families were in my wake?

"Yuki?"

How many more would there be?

"Yuki, come on out of there. You haven't eaten all day."

It was to my shock that I realised it was not Raph who spoke to me but Mikey. My shock made me brusque: "I don't require as much sustenance as you do, Michelangelo. Please, leave me alone."

"I told you to call me Mikey. And that's not gonna fly. I've got three older brothers who are alone masters, so get your tail out from under that table before I come in after you."

I glared at him from over my tail. "I dare you to try," I spat.

"You're not going to hurt me," he declared. "You're better than that."

He held my stare unflinchingly – when and from where had Mikey gotten nerves of steel? – until I dropped my gaze. "She promised me soup. I remember being hungry and that was how she got me to go with her. She promised me soup."

"Karai?" He winced, realising he'd just asked me a question.

I nodded and sniffed. "It's not their fault. Leonardo and Donatello didn't know. I was just…so hungry and so _gullible_ and so _stupid_."

Mikey crouched, steadying himself with one hand on the table to peer at me. Unbeknownst to him, this served as another barrier between me and the world. Or maybe he did know and he was trying to help me in the only way he knew how, to make me feel safe? "Yeah, I guess you were. Mind, at the time, you were also real young, still a kid. I know that's not an excuse or anything but I guess what I'm trying to say is that maybe you wanted someone to trust. Karai just happened to know that. She's good at manipulating people – it's almost an art form with her, she's that good. So maybe you _were_ gullible but my experience is that if she wants to wheedle her way into your life and wreck it, good luck keeping her out."

The full weight of that last part hit me like one of White Tiger's punches. Karai had it out for this bizarre gang of mutants – Shredder had it out for them, for longer than I had originally thought, too. What kind of damage had they done to my new pack? What was it that Karai had said? _"Those four have almost brought about the destruction of the entire Foot Clan more than a dozen times since we met them."_

Why would four lone mutants try to bring down an entire organisation?

Because that organisation killed.

Shredder had killed Master Splinter's Yoshi. Shredder had killed Lynx. Karai had stolen me, essentially killed my old life. She had stolen my brothers and sister, killed their old lives, too. They stole and killed for the sake of power. No wonder the turtles fought so hard against them. Donatello had said so just yesterday: _"They put innocent people in danger to get what they want. You're living proof of that. We fight to protect the innocent. You."_

Me. They fought to protect people like me.

"Uh, Yuki?"

I blinked, coming out of my thoughts, and looked up into that comforting, freeing shade of blue. "Mikey. I was thinking about what you said."

"That's good."

I nodded. "So are you. Karai and Shredder are not. They hurt people because they can, and I am only one of many of those hurt." I paused, kneading my tail with my hands. "I don't want to be a victim anymore but the memories are so _strong_ …"

"That's okay. It means you're remembering and that's a good thing. And we're right here, Yuki. If you want to hide under the table, that's fine, but don't run out on us. We didn't know what we did wrong."

"You didn't do anything wrong," I protested.

He half-smiled at me. "Try telling Leo and Don that. Raph's chewing them out."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, little dudette. You're working through stuff. It's okay."

Dudette. I was sure I'd never heard the word before but it sounded casual, kind and friendly. It was a nice word. "Thank you, Mikey. I think…I think I'll have that soup now."

-:-:-:-

Approaching the lab, Mikey was pleased to not hear Raph yelling at their elder brothers. It sounded like things had calmed down once more which was all to the good if Yuki was going to have supper.

It had been more than a shock when he had volunteered to go after Yuki. Raph had been about to follow her himself but Mikey had stopped him: "She needs more than one packmate in her life, Raphie. Let me." So they had, and Mike was glad he had because Yuki was a mystery slowly unravelling. She truly was a big stray, frightened and alone. Now that he was paying more attention and opening his heart, it physically hurt how frightened and alone she was. She padded alongside him on her hind legs but crouched so low, she might as well have been on all fours.

Old habits died hard.

He kept an eye on her as they re-entered the lab. She stiffened only a fraction, her nostrils flaring at the soup still steaming in the bowls, but she forged ahead as if she hadn't just suffered from memory trauma, and sat down on the floor at the foot of Raph's cot.

"I'm sorry," she said before anyone else could speak.

"Ya don't have ta be sorry for anythin'," Raph said quietly. He glanced at Mikey. "Ya good?"

"We're good" was all Mikey said, and he handed Yuki a full bowl. He was about to get her a spoon when, to his surprise, she set it on the floor and started lapping. Klunk, curious, leaped down from his spot on the cot and trotted toward the much bigger cat. Mikey tried not to panic, but Yuki only shuffled her weight and allowed Klunk to sniff at her bowl. At least Klunk wasn't interested enough to eat it; Mikey had seen cats fighting over food bowls on YouTube and knew Klunk would be kitty fodder if a fight ever broke out between the felines. Not that it would. He was confident that, of everyone in this room, Klunk was the least likely to be a target of Yuki's claws and teeth.

Donnie took a step forward. "Yuki, we're sorry. We didn't mean –"

"I know." Yuki paused in eating to sit up and look Don in the eye. "You meant no harm."

"But you were harmed."

"Not by you. My memories are coming more quickly and the strangest, littlest things set them off."

"Like Mikey raisin' his hand and the soup," said Raph.

Yuki nodded, explaining, "It was how Karai trapped me. I was hungry and she promised me soup." She looked down as she said it, her ears low and her tail curled around her hands and feet.

Mikey noticed Don twitch at that. Leo, too, stiffened, but neither said anything.

Sensei drifted forward. "As hard as this must be for you, Yuki, I must encourage you to talk with one of us when these memories occur. As Donatello said, the smallest details will help us help you figure out who you were."

She immediately inclined her head – Mikey was beginning to hate that gesture – and said, "Yes, Master Splinter."

The four turtles, the rat and the cat ate in the silence that fell after that statement, and Mikey's soul warmed with the soup in his gut.

Sensei was the first to break the silence. "Well, my children, I think I will retire for the night." He looked them all in the eye and his gaze fell on Mikey last. "I am glad you are all home, safe and sound."

Hun's hands around Mikey's neck would haunt him for a week, he was sure, but Mikey smiled back at his dad. Hopefully, he could keep a lid on his nightmares so he wouldn't wake anyone up. Twice in two nights would be hard on his brothers.

They all murmured good night and the rat left, taking the tea tray with him.

"Think I'll head off, too," said Mikey as he picked up Klunk from the floor. "You guys done with your dishes?"

Leo's eyes snapped to his. "Forget the dishes, Mikey. It's my turn anyway. Go to bed."

"Was just offering, dude. No need to bite." Mikey said it with a smile, softening the statement, and was pleased to see all three of his brothers' faces gentle.

He was turning for the door when he heard Yuki's soft voice: "Mikey?" He turned back, a brow ridge raised. She smiled. "Thank you."

"I said it before, Yuki: thank _you_."

Up in his room, Mikey stayed awake until he heard his brothers quietly close the doors of their own rooms. It was only then that he allowed himself to close his eyes.

The nightmare hit him instantly. The packed snow beneath his shell, the hot blood trickling down his temple, the too-strong hands around his neck. He fought. He fought so hard to break that grip. He pushed and punched and clawed and kicked but it was all useless. He was useless. He would die tonight in front of his brothers and there wasn't anything anyone could do to stop it. He could hear his brothers screaming, trying to get to him, but no one could, and his vision got darker and darker as his lungs ached and his body weakened.

Mikey woke up, his face in his pillow to keep from screaming. A glance at his clock told him it was just after two in the morning. All was quiet in the lair but his mind was in uproar. Maybe a drink of milk would soothe his nerves.

Sliding out of bed, he was careful of Klunk, who lay curled in the blankets, and stepped out into the hall. Muscle memory guided him as he navigated the stairs blindly, working the tremors out of his hands as he went.

He was halfway to the kitchen when he heard a near-silent growl. Mikey turned slowly, but his eyes found nothing in the dark living room. Suddenly wishing for the nunchaku on his bedside table, he took a hesitant step toward the couches. "Yuki?" he ventured into the black. "Is that you?"

There was no answer which was strange because she answered truthfully every single time. So if there was no answer, was it Yuki? Was there…someone else…in the lair? Doubtful though it was (Don's alarm system was infallible), he still moved cautiously across the room.

Scritch, scratch, scratch.

"Hello?"

A hiss, a thump, another hiss, then… "Mikey, you're awake."

Mikey's hammering hear calmed. It was Yuki. She'd just been asleep. "Yeah. I, uh, was just getting a drink when I heard some noises."

There was a beat of silence and then he spotted two pinpricks of green light squeeze out from behind the couch. Had she moved the furniture? Wait, could she see in the dark?

Mikey heard her long tail sweep across the floor as she neared. "I'm sorry that I made noise," she said. "I was dreaming."

"A nightmare?" The question fell out of his mouth before he could think about it and he winced.

"Yes."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She paused. "I…I dreamed that I did nothing. I stood on the roof and watched Hun kill you, and I didn't care."

Mikey couldn't think of anything to say except, "That sucks."

"Yes. It does. I _do_ care."

"I know. You want a glass of milk? I was going to get some."

"Please. Thank you." She followed him into the kitchen where Mikey finally flicked on a light. They both blinked against the brightness as Mikey got two glasses.

"Uh…do you want a bowl instead?" He didn't know what possessed him to ask that question but he thought it relevant, somehow. She had lapped up her soup earlier, after all.

"I can manage a glass, Mikey, thank you." Maybe it was him or the late hour but he thought there was a hint of humour in her tone.

He glanced at her. She sat at the kitchen table, the fur on her head rumpled on one side. Her tail was curled around the back legs of the chair, her ankles crossed neatly beneath her seat, and her hands clasped on the tabletop. She was the picture of polite company.

He set the glass in front of her and she cocked a half-smile at him. Not a cat smile, a very human smile. It suited her. They sat in silence for a while, drinking their milk, and Mikey wasn't inclined to break it. He was a natural-born chatterbox but there was something about Yuki that commanded quiet. Maybe it was because he'd never heard her speak above a murmur. He'd never heard her laugh, except for that one time they'd found her and Lynx at the park.

He had heard her snarl, though. That sounded echoed through his brain, driving away the last of the nightmare's tendrils. Where he and his brothers had failed, she had not. He could still feel her fur brush his skin as she had stood over him, primal and fierce. _Don't touch my pack._ Her protective instinct was unparalleled – she had taken on Hun (and won!) without knowing who he was or what he could do. She had seen Mikey and his brothers in danger and had acted.

"Your heartrate is increasing, Mikey." _Are you all right?_ was the subtext.

"Just thinking," he replied as casually as he could because _she could hear his heartbeat from across the table?!_

"I see." There was a glint in her green-grey eyes that Mikey didn't know what to make of. "I think I will go back to sleep. Thank you for the milk."

"Sure, yeah, uh, you're welcome. I think I'll stay up for a bit."

Yuki regarded him for a moment before saying, "You are prone to nightmares."

Mikey snorted through his nostrils. "How can you tell?" Stupid! Another question!

"A girl has her ways."

Well, that was the first time he'd ever heard her answer in a roundabout way. He smiled but it faded quickly. "After everything I've seen and done, you'd think I wouldn't be."

"I like to think that it is our mind's way of keeping us human. If the things we've seen and done didn't bother us, then there would be something wrong with us."

Mikey stared at her. "You know, I think you just took ten years of Master Splinter's lectures on meditation and spirituality and identity, and wrapped it up in two sentences."

She giggled. Yuki giggled! He'd made her laugh! He chuckled with her, seeing her eyes squint and her whiskers lift.

They put away their glasses eventually and Mikey flicked off the light, once more plunging the lair into darkness, except for twin spots of green near the floor. They stood in the doorway for a second or two, until Mikey sighed.

"I am far too tired to climb back up all those stairs," he grumbled.

"There are blankets on the couch," Yuki said. "You are welcome to them."

"But…but those are for you."

"I have my own fur coat to keep me warm," she replied. "Good night, Mikey."

"G'night," he answered automatically. He saw her eyes turn away but he didn't hear her move. Figuring she had, he walked across the room to the couch. Finding it two feet away from where it used to be, he climbed in.

Mikey was half asleep when he felt more than heard Yuki crawl out from behind her makeshift cave between the sofa and the wall, and curl up between him and the coffee table. It was because he was half asleep that he let one arm dangle off the edge, his fingers trailing through the fur he could reach. The resulting purr soothed his nerves more than the milk had, and he fell asleep for the first time in days completely unafraid.

-:-

Please review.


	20. Chapter 20: New Uniform, New Friends

**Guest:** I agree. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Queen Dove:** Yeah...Yuki's memories are starting to roll and the littlest things will set them off. I think Mr. Stick in the shell will get there eventually. Leo's not afraid of her, per se, but I think he's hesitant to fully trust her the way Raph and Mikey do (and the way Don is starting to). I'll see what I can do about Leather Head. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Crimson Note:** I love me da fluff! But first: angst! I'm really loving how well Mikey's doing, too. He's just plowing ahead, isn't he? :) If you think Yuki's not overly polite anymore, just you wait. ;) On the topic of the more horrible memories buried somewhere in her brain, I've got this nice, little scene in the works (not sure where I'm going to put it but it will happen). In short, the guys find out how she was trained to not ask questions and it's not pretty. Thank you for reviewing!

 **prangersturtles:** THANK YOU FOR USING HER NEW NAME! I AM HAPPY THAT YOU ARE HAPPY! :) I did promise a Mikey-Yuki moment. Thank you for reviewing!

 **TMNT-Queen:** Why, thank you! I actually have this wonderful, little, dimension-crossing carrier-pigeon that brings me ideas while I sleep. She poops on my head after she leaves the notes on my bedside table. She's kind of rude, but, you know, she's got good ideas so I can't complain too much. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** I can only assume that it was you who left me reviews on the following stories: Black Eyes, Best Birthday Ever, Flash, and The Fifth Mutant. Oh my GOSH! Thank you so much! You have no idea how pleased I was to wake up this morning and find four reviews for four different stories! Seriously, thank you! I'm beyond thrilled that you're enjoying my work so far, and I'm honoured that you decided to give my OC-centric story a chance. Not a lot of people like them - heck, I'm not much of a fan - but I couldn't let this idea go. Thank you for all of your kind words. They mean a lot, though I am sorry for making you cry every now and then. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Author's Note:** I am aware that FFnet is being dumb but have no fear, I received all of your reviews via my email. Also, special welcome to **werewolffang61**! Yay for new followers! I'm going to do my best to welcome you guys. Thank you all for reading. Enjoy!

 _Chapter 20: New Uniform, New Friends_

I awoke the next morning, savouring sleep's fading fingers…or were they fading? I could still feel them against my fur…

Mikey. I smiled to myself and shifted my head a little so his hand rested between my ears. The pressure was light and limp; the turtle was sound asleep. I listened to his breathing and heartbeat, admiring how strong they were. He was such a little thing – they all were, compared to my old Pack – but he was strong. Such a strong heart…

Footsteps alerted me to someone coming… Master Splinter. I heard his cane thump against the floor, his long tail dragging along behind him.

Slithering out from under Mikey's hand, I sat up and bowed to the master when he approached the couch.

"Ah, Yuki. I thought I smelled someone out here." He smiled at me.

I flicked my whiskers and replied, "Michelangelo had trouble sleeping last night, Master Splinter, so I offered him the couch."

"I see. I'm glad you're up because I have something for you."

My head canted to one side but then my eyes went wide when he presented to me my uniform – my Foot uniform…but Foot it was no more. The twin red insignias on the shoulders were gone, the fabric washed and appearing new: hakama, kosode and haori were all immaculate with not even a trace of sewer grime or blood on them.

I took it carefully and ran my hands along the material, my former life in front of me but remade because it was not the same uniform. Embroidered along the kosode's eri (the neckband) and the hems of both sleeves and body was a simple yet elegant design of curved lines and lotuses in silver. The same design was on the hakama's hems. I had a new obi, too, the old one stained beyond salvaging, yet this one was a gentle green that reminded me of the ferns that used to grow behind the house I'd grown up in in Japan.

Setting the ensemble on the coffee table beside me, I touched my forehead to the floor. "Thank you, Master Splinter. Thank you."

He knelt beside me and laid a soft, clawed hand on my shoulder. "It was the least I could do when you have done so much for us. I owe you my sons' lives."

With my forehead still on the floor, I said quietly, "Master Splinter, you owe me nothing. It is my honour to protect the pack."

"Our pack," he corrected kindly.

That made me blink and sit up a fraction to meet his eyes.

He nodded, a sage, and smiled. "We do not hope to replace what you lost, Yuki, but we are willing to be your friends."

Not family. Friends.

 _You don't get to choose your family but you do get to choose your friends._ The memory's voice was faint but young, swathed in innocence and optimism – was it my voice? Or perhaps someone else's? I'd never really given much thought to any friends I might have lost when Karai had stolen me. Had I had any? Did they miss me? Did I miss them? I didn't know the answers to any of these questions, but I did know that it would be good to have friends again.

I smiled back at the grey rat, careful of my teeth, and said, "Thank you, Master Splinter."

"Hurry and change," he said. "We start training in half an hour."

"Yes, Master Splinter."

I took a lot longer than I should have but I couldn't stop fingering the embroidery and smoothing the obi. I was putting on my kosode when someone hammered on the door, making my blood freeze and my claws unsheathe themselves.

But then: "Get outta there, Mikey! I need ta pee!"

I thawed instantly and, stifling my giggles while Raph continued to shout abuse, I quickly tied my obi, folded up the haori, and opened the door.

"About dang time, ya slow-shelled…" Raph trailed off, taking me in. "Uh, I mean…"

"Good morning to you, too, Raph," I said brightly. "The bathroom is all yours." I stepped out and around him, walking away and leaving him staring after me; I could feel his gaze on me until I passed out of his line of sight.

After setting my haori on the couch, I met Donatello on the way to the dojo. "Good morning, Donatello."

"Yuki! Good morning." His brown eyes darted over my uniform and he smiled. "You, uh, you look good."

"Thank you."

Leonardo was already in the dojo, kneeling in his place in front of Master Splinter. He nodded at me and his brother but otherwise made no comment. We were joined minutes later by Raph and Mikey, the former of which reddened when he saw me.

Mikey didn't look much better today: his neck had darkened even more since yesterday, though the swelling had gone down, and a bruise was forming around the taped cut on his head. Nevertheless, he beamed at us all and took up position, to my surprise, on my immediate left while Raph knelt on my right. Mikey elbowed me gently in the ribs and nodded to my outfit, giving me a thumb's up.

Who would ever want to harm this creature? He was so kind-hearted that it made my soul soar. Such kindness in the world was a rarity. Looking at him, I knew that I would not only protect him, I would kill for him. If anyone dared to raise a hand against him, I would remove the limb and everything attached.

I wanted to heal him but I had missed my chance last night, having not even thought about it, and I didn't dare do it now with everyone watching. I would have to get him alone but that would have to wait because Master Splinter was calling for our attention.

"My students, I have made a mild change in our routine today. We will forego meditation" (I distinctly felt Leo's sigh from the far end of the line) "and focus on the basics."

"Basics, Sensei?" Raph echoed. "But we know 'em already."

Master Splinter pursed his mouth, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Perhaps. Tell me, Yuki, what is the point of basics?"

He was still looking at Raph so the question caught me by surprise but I responded instantly: "The basics are merely stepping stones to more advanced skills, Master Splinter."

The rat's brows lifted. "Merely? Interesting choice of wording. Is that your philosophy?"

"No, Master Splinter. Mis- Dau- _Karai_ taught it to us."

"I see. Michelangelo, what is the point of basics?"

Mikey gave me a sidelong smile as he answered, "Basics are building blocks for everything. You can't have the more advanced without them." Leaning backward to catch Raph's eye on my other side, he adopted a sagely manner to say, "To disregard such fundamentals is foolish."

I bit my tongue to keep from laughing but then Raph reached around behind me and smacked his brother upside the head, and a squeak escaped me.

All eyes landed on me and I sobered quickly.

Donatello was the first to speak. "Was that a –?" he began but I cut him off.

"No."

"It sounded like a –"

"It wasn't."

"Are you su–?"

"Yes."

"My students, if we may continue?" Master Splinter requested dryly.

"Please, Master Splinter," Leonardo and I said at the same time. Apparently, we both were tired of childish antics.

Master Splinter fixed the three other turtles with a pointed look before saying, "Michelangelo is correct. Basics are the foundation for bigger and greater things. A man cannot run without first learning to walk. A house cannot be built with the roof first. In martial arts, the same holds true. A single stance can be built upon, so that is what we will work on today."

He rose and surveyed us. "Form a single line, facing the door!"

"Yes, Master Splinter," we all said and moved to obey.

Drills were not my favourite but I did them because I was expected to. As it turned out, I learned more about how the turtles fought and how I should adapt my own style to suit them. When the drills evolved into group fighting (I sat out while Leonardo fought all three of his brothers), I saw them for what they were: a well-oiled machine. Their formations were perfect, their sense of awareness for the others impeccable. I was truly watching a pack.

When Leonardo defeated his brothers, Master Splinter called off Mikey and had Leonardo and Donatello gang up on Raph. Mikey sat beside me, tossing an arm over my shoulders.

"You're really warm," he observed, scooting closer.

"Hm," I mused. His neck was within easy reach and no one was looking. Masking my intentions, I leaned into him and started purring. Mikey chuckled, lapping up the attention, and failed to notice how close I was getting until it was too late.

"Whoa, whoa!" he squeaked when he felt my tongue graze across his skin. He tried to push me away but I was right on top of him and unrelenting. "Yuki?"

I gave him another couple of licks before I sat back and smiled. "No harm done, Mikey."

Mikey ran a hand along his neck to get rid of the saliva and froze. He rubbed harder, then felt along the other side. "What did you do?" he whispered.

I purred and nuzzled his shoulder. "I healed you. You're probably going to fall asleep soon."

He met my eyes for a long moment before flicking his gaze over to Raph – Raph who moved seamlessly as he fought, no lasting effects of his torture on his body. He turned to me again, his eyes wide. "How did you get Raph to sit still while you _licked_ him?"

I giggled. Mikey would be the one to ask that. "I didn't tell him that was what I was going to do until I was doing it. Also, I pinned him to the floor."

Mikey laughed outright, and the sound made me purr. This turtle was naturally happy. I was sorry that I had taken that away from him these last couple of days, but at least those days were over. Mikey beamed at me, still chortling, and I knew that Lynx would have loved to meet him.

"Does something amuse you, Miche-?" Master Splinter froze halfway through the name and stared.

Mikey instantly sobered. "What? Sensei, what's the matter?"

Across the room, the fight broke off and the others converged around us, Master Splinter kneeling on the floor and taking his son's face in one hand.

"What the shell happened?!" Donatello shrieked.

I inched away but Raph caught my eye and winked. He knew.

"Stop askin' questions, Don," he groused. "Yuki's got a healin' touch. We all know that."

Leonardo and Donatello first looked at their red-banded brother (the scars on his shoulder apparent) and then to Mikey whose neck was no longer bruised or swollen. Even the cut on his head was healed, not even a scar to show for it.

"Incredible," Master Splinter breathed. "How are you feeling, Michelangelo?"

"A little tired, Sensei, but Yuki said I would be so…" Mikey yawned.

Raph slid between his elder brothers and helped Mikey to his feet. "Come on, bro. Let's put ya ta bed before ya fall down or somethin'. Come on."

They were halfway to the door when Mikey glanced over his shoulder at me. "Thanks, Yuki," he said.

"You are welcome, Mikey," I replied.

When they were gone, there was maybe a second of silence and then Donatello spoke: "I am curious why you didn't do that last night."

Phrased nicely as a not-question. I turned to face the three. "I forgot. I've only ever done it once and I was kind of thinking of other things." I bowed. "Forgive me that I forgot."

"There is no need, Yuki," Master Splinter said quickly. "We are grateful that you've done this for us. Would you mind setting the table for breakfast while I speak with my sons?"

"Not at all, Master Splinter."

I was in the kitchen and just fetching the plates down from a cupboard when I heard a strange whirring. My ears perked. I was sure I had never heard that sound before. It lasted for maybe ten seconds and then it stopped.

Then…voices.

Not my pack's voices. Not any voices I knew.

Dropping to all fours, I crept from the kitchen, poked my head around the corner and –

Humans! Two of them! A large male and a lean female. They moved without fear and I knew they couldn't be thieves or intruders and yet…

The male had a long bag over his shoulder, metal and wooden sticks poking out of the top. My nostrils flared at the faint scent of blood. This human hurt others.

And he was in my new pack's home.

They were headed my way so any advantage I had would be soon lost. I lunged around the corner on silent feet and snarled as I bore down on them.

"What on Earth –!" exclaimed the female.

The male didn't even have time to draw a weapon; I was on top of him in seconds, perched on his chest with unsheathed claws pressed against his throat.

I snarled again when the woman screamed but the word caught my attention: "LEO!"

Wait, did they know Leonardo? Did they know my pack?

"What the shell!? Yuki, get off! Don't hurt him! Get off right now!"

I scrambled away as everyone but Mikey ran into the room; I heard Leonardo's swords sing and Donatello's staff whistle. Raph jumped down from the second floor, landing in a smooth roll and rising to stand between me and the humans. I huddled close around his legs while Leonardo sheathed his katana and helped the man up, and Donatello soothed the woman. Master Splinter was nearby, cane in hand.

The female was approaching hysterics. "Mikey called last night. He said it was safe! I am going to _kill_ that turtle for pulling this prank!"

I growled at the words but Raph put a hand on my head and I stopped, looking up at him with questions I didn't dare voice.

"Yuki, this is Casey Jones and April O'Neil," he said, pointing to each in turn. "They're friends. They're pack."

Oh. Oops.

I dropped my gaze to the floor and muttered, "Casey Jones brought in weapons. I thought he meant harm."

"Nah." Raph smiled and rubbed my ears. "He and I go out sometimes ta bash Purple Dragon or Foot heads."

Raph and Casey Jones went hunting together, protected innocent people together.

"You are early today, Mr. Jones, Ms. O'Neil," Master Splinter said, moving closer. "Is there a special occasion?"

"We brought breakfast." April O'Neil held up a basket I had not noticed that was filled with scents that made me drop lower to the floor. I had smelled the blood on Casey Jones' weapons but had missed the food? Shame on me! "Where is Mikey, anyway?"

"He's resting," answered Donatello. "We had a run-in with Hun last night. He's recuperating in his room."

I duly noted that Donatello didn't tell them about my ability to heal.

"He'll be fine," Leonardo added when the two humans opened their mouths. "Come on in."

The humans gave me and Raph a wide berth and passed into the kitchen. I followed at Raph's heels and slid away to finish my task of setting the table. I could feel the two humans' stares.

"First rule with Yuki is that ya don't ask her anythin'. No questions, nothin'. She was trained ta answer honestly every single time."

"Ya can't lie?" Casey Jones demanded. His accent was similar to Raph's.

"No," I replied while Raph smacked the black-haired human upside the head.

April O'Neil looked from Raph to me and back again. "You said _trained_ , Raph. What does that mean?"

"It means that Yuki was known until only a couple days ago as Snow Leopard, one of Karai's elite guards," said Leonardo.

Silence greeted this but I heard two hearts accelerate.

Then: "WHAT?! Are ya outta yer minds?! She'll kill us all!"

"She won't," Donatello said firmly.

"It was Mikey, wasn't it!? That hair-brained idiot will pick anythin' up offa the streets!"

My lips lifted at the insult but someone else beat me to a response.

"Don't insult our brother because of his kind-hearted tendencies," Leonardo snapped. "If you must know, Raph brought her home – after she'd sprung him from Foot Headquarters and saved his life."

Dark blue eyes – halfway between Mikey's baby and Leonardo's navy – darted to me and narrowed. "Did ya guys even ask her if that's what she did? If ya didn't ask, ya wouldn't know for sure. Maybe it's all a ruse."

The glass I'd been holding fell to the floor with a shatter, startling April O'Neil and Donatello. Everyone looked at me. Well, not everyone.

Raph shot from his chair and grabbed his hunting partner around the shirt collar, bringing him nose to beak. "Ya listen and ya listen real good, Casey Jones, 'cause I'm not gonna repeat this ever again. She. Saved. My. Life. I woulda been dead days ago if not for her. Also, she was human. Yeah, that's right. She used ta be human. Four years ago, Karai snatched her from whatever life she had and mutated her and four others inta slaves and pets. Yuki grew up with them. They were her pack, her brothers and sister. Her sister helped me and her get outta the tower and she's dead now because of what she did. Killed by Shredder's own sword – he sent us the footage – so doncha ever say this is a ruse 'cause I will knock out yer teeth if ya ever say it again.

"Yuki, c'mere."

The rant was abruptly over and I was being commanded. Breathing shakily, I stepped over the glass and approached on my hind legs, as low to the ground as I could get.

To my surprise, Raph hauled the human out of his chair and extended the right arm. "Take his hand with yer right, Yuki. This is how humans say 'hello'."

 _Probably not by force,_ I thought and unfolded myself a little to take the hand. I distinctly felt Casey Jones stiffen, his heart was thundering beneath his ribs, but then his shock eased when my fingers wrapped gently around his hand. "Greetings, Casey Jones," I said. "I am Yuki."

A sharp elbow in the man's kidney prompted a response. "Hi, Yuki. I'm Casey. Sorry."

I did my best to smile into those eyes, saying, "I'm sorry I jumped on you", and then let go.

April O'Neil rose from her chair of her own accord and stepped around everyone to meet me. "Yuki, I'm April." She extended her hand to me. "I'm sorry for your loss and for Casey being a jerk."

"Thank you, April," I said.

"Would you - ? Oh, um. I would like to help you sweep up the mess."

Not phrased as a question. This human learned quickly.

"That is kind, thank you."

She smiled at me when she let go of my hand and headed for a corner where stood a long stick with bristles at one end: a broom. There was a small…dustpan beside it and I grabbed it before she could. April had said that she wanted to help. That did not mean that I would let her do the whole job by herself.

Donatello finished setting the table while we worked and everyone settled into place. I noticed that my spot at the table was filled by April and so I curled up beneath Raph's chair. I wasn't hungry anyway.

The humans unloaded the basket and smells of meat, eggs, and fruit met my nose.

A piece of bacon dangled in front of me and I took it automatically. It was good but when another piece was offered, I ignored it.

"She's like a really big dog," Casey whispered.

"She's just as protective," Raph put in, popping the piece into his mouth. "Mikey would not be here if she weren't."

So they told that story and included a bit more information about me and my history, including Donatello's nightly expeditions to find me, and Mikey's naming me. April asked most of the questions and she was thoughtful enough to directly ask individuals so that I wouldn't be confused into answering.

When I heard a door creak open, I patted Raph's leg to get his attention. "Mikey is awake," I announced.

"He didn't sleep as long as I thought he would," Donatello said quietly.

"He was not as badly injured as Raphael was," I pointed out.

"Why do I smell bacon!?" Mikey appeared in the doorway, Klunk in his arms, and grinned at the full kitchen. "Well, hiya, guys!"

"Michelangelo," Master Splinter said. "Perhaps inform us next time when you decide to invite our friends over? Yuki was alarmed."

Mikey's face fell when he looked at me. "Aw, shell, Yuki! I didn't think. Are you okay?"

"I am all right, Mikey. You should ask that question to Casey since it was him whom I jumped on."

"You jumped him? Right on!"

"Mikey! Michelangelo!"

"Oh, right, um, yeah. Sorry about that, guys." Mikey got Klunk his own breakfast before joining his family at the table.

Klunk meowed and shoved his bowl across the floor so he could snuggle between my forelimbs and eat. I washed his back while he tucked in.

"You guys are such cat-people, you know that?' April quipped. Though I couldn't see her face, I heard her smile.

Chuckles went up from the group and Raph's hand came down to scratch between my ears. I purred and Klunk echoed me.

-:-

Thank you for reading!


	21. Chapter 21 Of Leathery and Fuzzy Company

**lizzybudd:** Yeah, I had to have Yuki meet April and Casey sooner rather than later. I know I portray Casey as a bit of a jerk in a lot of my stories but his jerkness comes off as either him not thinking things through or him being defensive of his little brothers. I enjoy you thinking things out loud. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Queen Dove:** Thank you so much! Yuki's certainly working out a few things on her own, but it does help when she's got a pack behind her. Mikey's great with her now, isn't he? I love him loving people because he's such a sweetheart. Thank you for reviewing!

 **ImpossibleGirl01:** Welcome and thank you! You're very kind. I've never had a pet bigger than a hedgehog but I've always thought that being close to a dog or cat would cure many ills. :) Thank you for reviewing!

 **wolfimus prime:** Welcome to you, too! It's always wonderful to see new followers, favourites, and reviewers! Thank you for reviewing!

 **TMNT-Queen:** Haha, you're welcome! ;) Casey's a jerk because he's scared for his bros but he'll come around. April's already ahead of him on that front, though, eh? We're going to have to work with Leo and Don, won't we? Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Congratulations on being the 100th review! Hooray! Don't worry about being busy, I understand. :) I don't hate Casey, per se, but I do get a little fed up with him. I understand where he's coming from - he's only protecting his little brothers and sometimes he just doesn't think - but he's kind of my personal scapegoat in my TMNT stories. I, too, love Yuki and Raph's relationship. She's still very animalistic, especially when it comes to new situations (she cowered behind Raph's legs when confronted with Casey and hid under his chair because April had taken her chair at the table and she didn't want to assume anything by sitting elsewhere). The guys finding out about Yuki's training and brainwashing is in the works but it might be a few chapters later than where we are now. You are more than welcome, and thank you for reviewing! (PS. You're welcome to include an unofficial username if you'd like. I'd love to address you directly since I have several anonymous guests who review and it's hard for me to differentiate.)

 **Author's Note:** Welcome to Mai'shardstyle (awesome username, by the way!). Thank you for the follow! I hope everyone had a joyous holiday! I wish all of you the best for the coming year, and thank you all for being so wonderful to me! Also, sorry for the wait, everyone. Between family and being under the weather, I've had a hard time concentrating on writing. Also, my parents got Netflix, and I've introduced to them the concept of binge-watching. Go me! This chapter's a little short but a couple of things happen. Enjoy!

 _Chapter 21: Of Leathery and Fuzzy Company_

"Ow!"

"Easy, Mikey," Leo urged. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just got my fingers pinched. Man, remind me to never have one of these in my room. They're a hassle."

Leo nodded and took the next few seconds to make sure the full-length mirror hung straight. "I think that did it. Good job."

He watched Mikey step back and ascertain the mirror's straightness for himself, and smiled. Mikey's eye for detail was one of the reasons why he'd asked for his brother's help in the first place. Leo had taken care of material and colour while Mikey had designed the layout. Don and Raph were good for nothing in this department except manual labour, but while Raph had helped bring in the bookshelf and dresser, Don had taken Yuki out into the tunnels for an introduction to Leatherhead – to guarantee the surprise.

"I dunno, Leo," Mikey mused, a thoughtful frown pulling at his mouth.

"Why? What's wrong? Is it not straight?" Leo had a level somewhere around here – borrowed from Casey – but Mikey shook his head.

"Not that, bro. I'm just wondering if getting Yuki a mirror is the best thing for her."

"Why wouldn't it be? April recommended one."

"Yeah, I know. It's just…Yuki was human. Don't you think her own reflection would, I dunno, upset her or something?"

Leo smiled at his baby brother. It had been barely a week since Raph had first brought Yuki through the front door, and he couldn't help but admire how close his two youngest brothers had become with the former Foot Elite. Both Raph and Mikey possessed loud personalities: Raph's straightforwardness and Mikey's gaiety helped kick Yuki's hesitancy to the curb. She became fierce in the dojo, training solely against Raph unless they were doing drills or kata; and Leo had heard her laugh just the other day when Mikey had told her a joke. Leo could only stand back and watch Yuki's personality unfold, and he knew the credit lay with his youngest brothers. That was why he had undertaken this project: he wanted to do something for Yuki, too. But he would never have thought that Mikey could see so much of someone who was still very much a stranger in their home. Then again, Mikey had always had a knack for feeling out…feelings. He understood without judgement – at least, he did now where Yuki was concerned – and Leo admired that quality in his brother more than even his ability to cook.

"I don't think she's bothered by what she looks like so much as what she's lost," Leo chose to say. He took Mikey's shoulder. "She's been used to being not human for a long time. I think we're in the clear."

"If you say so," Mikey said, still looking dubious. "We can always take the mirror out, though, right?"

"Right. But remember: she sees her reflection all the time in the bathroom mirror and she's never complained."

"She never complains anyway."

This was true and Leo inclined his head in acknowledgement. "You can always ask her?"

Mikey looked away. "I don't like to. She's gotten better but I can tell sometimes that our questions bug her. There's a look in her eye that's…tired."

"Well, hopefully this will help." Leo swept an arm out to encompass the made-over storage room.

"Do you really think she'll like it?"

Leo cocked a smile at him, smug and proud of their work. "Where's your confidence? She's going to love it."

-:-:-:-

I tried not to sigh as I trotted through the sewers' mild chill. "You do not require my assistance, Donatello. I'm confused why I'm going with you."

Donatello glanced at me sidelong. "In light of recent events –"

"Namely me scaring the skin off Hun," I grumbled.

"- both Leo and Master Splinter don't want anyone running around by themselves. We're not leaving the tunnels but the Foot have been known to lay traps for us."

"But…they don't know the lair's location."

"That they don't, but they know we frequent the surrounding areas."

"So I am your…bodyguard?" I wasn't sure if I liked that notion; my memories of Karai were still fresh. I would protect my new pack because it was my honour and duty and because I wanted to, but serving one of the turtles to wherever we were going as extra muscle was not exactly conducive to my mental recovery.

Donatello faced me head-on. "Never. You're never going to be a bodyguard. You're our friend, Yuki. Master Splinter just wants us safe."

"And your brothers are too busy to go with you," I observed.

His face pinched, his mouth and eyes scrunching. "I…I can't say."

"It has something to do with them moving boxes out of that room by the dojo," I said, my eyes narrowing. "And the hammering."

"…Maybe." He sighed and smiled. "It's a surprise for you, okay? And that's all I'm going to say about it."

A surprise? For me? I suddenly wanted nothing more than to turn tail and run back the way we'd come, but I had a duty to fulfill and a question to answer. "Okay."

He glanced at me, one brow ridge raised as if to ask why I wasn't bombarding him with questions. Deciding to leave it alone, he said, "Also, there's someone I'd like to introduce you to. He's another mutant. He's, well, a little intense sometimes but he can't help it. He's a crocodile and highly intelligent."

I slammed to a halt. He was a _what?_ A _WHAT?!_

"Uh, Yuki?"

Fighting down my rising panic, I did my best to keep a straight face as I looked at Donatello. "Forgive me," I said, "but I could have sworn you just said that the mutant we are going to see is a crocodile."

"Um…because I did?"

"Oh. I see."

"Is, um, that a problem?"

No. No, of course it wasn't. Because it wasn't. "It could be." Curse my ingrained honesty! "I mean, we're both apex predators."

Donatello's face visibly paled. "Oh. I hadn't thought of that." Then he rallied, "He's a really nice guy, though. He's a genius, really, and the only one who can keep up with me in the lab. He was mutated by accident, like we were, but ended up in the not-nice hands of a man named Agent Bishop. He was tortured and experimented on which resulted in berserker episodes of rage."

"That does not sound safe, Donatello."

"He's as safe as he can be." Donatello's brow sank low, his eyes downcast. "He can't live with anyone but he's close enough if we need his help or he needs ours." He looked up, meeting my eyes unflinchingly. "He's our friend, Yuki. He's part of the pack."

Then I would do my best to remain on good behaviour. I nodded and was about to reply when a draft brought scents to my nostrils.

I tensed, my ears up and swivelling, my tail quivering.

"Yuki? What is it?"

I sniffed again, hoping against hope that I was wrong. I wasn't. "Jaguar and White Tiger are nearby."

Those brown eyes went wide. "Are they close?"

"I can smell them," I reminded him. "That's close enough."

Donatello swept his staff out with one hand and pulled out his shell-cell, hitting the S.O.S with the other. "We can't lead them back to the lair."

I nodded, crouching and unsheathing my claws. It would be a fight, then. Not even a week after Lynx's death, I was now engaging my brothers in a battle for our lives. Squeezing my eyes shut, I braced myself against the rearing wave of emotion that threatened to sweep me away. My brothers. My White Tiger. My Jaguar. My former Pack, my Pack still, and I was about to use my teeth and claws against them.

And for what? My own self-preservation? Was I that selfish?

A scuff of tough skin on concrete brought me back to reality: Donatello's heartrate had accelerated but he fought to stay calm; his fear, not strong enough to burn, trickled through the air. My new packmate was afraid.

Mikey would never laugh again if I let his brother die.

Raph would never smile again if I let his brother die.

Hanged if I let their brother die.

Hanged if I abandoned even one of my brothers to a fate unasked and unwanted.

My claws clenched against the hard ground, scraping. I would fight for them all to save them. "Donatello," I hissed to him, "watch your back and sides. Jaguar likes to ambush."

He nodded once and took a shaky breath, but his hammering heart evened out a fraction. Good thing, too, because White Tiger leaped out of the shadows right in front of us like a wraith, his teeth bared fully and his claws extended.

I snarled and leaped, clashing with him in midair and knocking him to the ground.

"White Tiger!" I cried as we rolled. "Brother, ototo, listen to me! Don't you recognise me?"

"Whoa!" A rush of displaced air and a whump of wood against flesh alerted me to Donatello engaging Jaguar. "You weren't kidding!"

We stopped with White Tiger on top and, oh, man, this was bad! I writhed beneath him but he was too heavy!

"Snow Leopard."

The appellation stilled me and I looked up into my brother's vivid, blue eyes. "Brother?"

"No," he snarled. "You betrayed Master, betrayed the Pack. You are not my sister. You are not Pack."

I ignored the knife the words were to my heart, and said, "But they stole us, White Tiger! They lied to us! We are not what we thought. Please!"

He smirked at me and licked his chops. "Only prey begs. We have our orders from Master and we will obey."

"Master killed Lynx!" I screamed. "Don't you care about what happened to Lynx?"

My question threw him and he blinked at me. "I know of no one named Lynx," he bit out grudgingly – honestly, truthfully.

Lynx. He didn't… They didn't…know? But...but they were there. They had been there when Master had... No, they did know. They just didn't - couldn't - remember.

No.

"No!" I shouted and slammed my fist into his cheek. My blow tossed him sideways and I scrambled upright. "Jaguar! Who is Lynx?" I cried without taking my eyes off White Tiger.

Jaguar snarled behind me and there was a pause in his battle with Donatello. "I know of no one named Lynx."

In the midst of my piquing horror, curiosity niggled my brain: the wording. It had been the exact same wording.

But then the horror swamped me and I screeched, rounding on the spotted cat. "She was our sister! She was our packmate! She was Pack! She was our sister!"

"By your word only, traitor," White Tiger spat as he gained his feet. "Enough of this. We have our orders, Jaguar. Kill the traitor and the turtles. We will do it one by one if we have to."

"I very much doubt your success."

Someone else arrived on-scene without anyone's notice which was a miracle in and of itself because the someone was _gigantic_. He was taller than Hun and wider still. He topped White Tiger by more than a couple of inches and outweighed him by at least thirty pounds. His skin was armour, his long snout filled with teeth and muscle that shamed our bite force, and his eyes were narrowed with an unsettling intelligence and rage.

In a distant corner of my brain, I thought, _So this is Leatherhead._

But greetings had to wait because Leatherhead charged Jaguar who stood closest to Donatello, and backhanded him so hard that he hit the opposite wall.

White Tiger blinked at the newcomer and said softly, "Go your way, stranger. We have no quarrel with you."

Leatherhead's yellow eyes turned an eerie pale green, his pupils narrowing to slits. "You attack my friend and the one with him. Any quarrel you have with him is with me as well."

White Tiger pulled his lips back, his ears flat. "Very well then." He loosed a roar, Leatherhead snapped his jaws, and the two titans clashed.

"Don! Yuki!"

Coming in from one of the adjacent tunnels, Leonardo led Raph and Mikey through the melee, stopping only to take on Jaguar when he jumped at them. Raph immediately spun back to help, and Mikey arrived at Don's side.

"Come on!" Mikey shouted at me.

Before I could take a step, I heard claws slice through flesh and a quiet grunt of pain.

"Raph!" cried Leonardo

I spun at the call and launched myself at Jaguar, noting absently Raph bleeding on the ground. With Jaguar focussing on Leonardo, who was a raging blur of green, blue and silver, he didn't hear me coming, and I was on top of him in an instant, snarling and spitting.

Jaguar roared and rolled me over but my front claws were hooked into his fur, and I used my legs to kick him clear. I followed after him, swiping at his head. He barely managed to dodge and when he looked at me, I could both see and smell his fear.

"White Tiger, we are outmatched!" he yelled over the roars of the two largest mutants.

I kept my eyes on Jaguar yet heard White Tiger's agreeing growl. "Then a parting gift is in order."

Something silver glinted in my furthest peripheral and I whirled instinctively.

Claws slammed into my side from an unexpected direction: Jaguar. I had turned my back on Jaguar.

The silver flew for Leonardo's head but he deflected with a twist of his katana just as he shouted, "Yuki!"

I slumped to the floor and felt Jaguar step over me. "For the traitor," he whispered, and then he was gone, White Tiger disappearing with him back into the sewers' shadows.

"Raph," I moaned, reaching for the turtle. My vision swam. Pain flared in my right side. I could smell the blood, his and mine.

Hands fell against my side, cloth pressing, and I cried out.

"Easy, Yuki, easy. It's all right. You're going to be all right. We need to stop the bleeding."

On the fringes of my fading senses, I felt the approach of Leatherhead. His voice was low and calm as he said, "Bring her to my home. How is Raphael?"

I never heard how Raph was. The darkness engulfed me.

-:-

Thank you for reading!


	22. Chapter 22: A Confession and a Surprise

**Guest:** Sorry, sorry! I thought it was a good place to end the chapter. Evidently, I was wrong. :( Thank you for reviewing!

 **Leo-TheHunter:** I'm a sucker for fluff, truly, but action was just calling my name! And, yes, Shredder really did have the nerve to take Jaguar's and White Tiger's memories of Lynx. I am evil. Sorry. :( Thank you for reviewing!

 **Queen Dove:** You are more than welcome for Leatherhead. I certainly hope to do him justice. I apologise for the guys' memory loss but it was too good of a ploy to pass up. Raph is going to be just fine. And a Happy (really) Belated New Year to you, too. Thank you for reviewing!

 **FightAsOne:** There you are! Wonderful username! I'm sorry that it felt like forever between updates (what with my starting school on Monday, my updates will be even fewer and farther in between, so I apologise for that, too). Thank you very much! And Jaguar and White Tiger got brainwashed again because of reasons. ;) You are more than welcome for the suggestion. Thank you for reviewing!

 **MemeSoldier:** Don't die! Thank you for reviewing!

 **wolfimus primus:** Sorry about the cliffhanger. I had to leave it somewhere. Jaguar and White Tiger have most definitely been brainwashed again. :( Thank you for reviewing!

 **TMNT-Queen:** Just so you know, your exclamations never fail to make me smile. :) And thank you. Yes, Yuki is badly injured. Yes, Shredder's a jerk. I'm working on remedying both issues. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

 **lizzybudd:** I sent you a PM but I'm thanking you here anyway. :)

 **PumaKatt:** Thank you so much! Here's more fluff (and some angst) for you. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Guest:** Yaaaaaaay! Thank you for reviewing!

 **Author's Note:** *Ahem* Yeah. So, um, I am so, so, very sorry about this, everyone. It has been a madhouse of a semester. That, coupled with the worst case of writer's block I've ever had, sucked and is the reason behind my extraordinarily late update. Also, I discovered Voltron: Legendary Defender and got a case of plot bunnies that I had to get out. That's my bad, and I apologise profusely. :( I am unsure when I'll update next. My semester may be over but I have my teaching practicum coming up which will take me to the end of April. I have no idea if I will update at all between now and then, but at least once April's over, it will be summer vacation for me, and I will once more buckle down for some writing. I've missed this story and you guys. Goodness knows you help keep me going. Anyway, thank you all for your patience and faithfulness. Enjoy.

 _Chapter 22: A Confession and a Surprise  
_

Don sat with his chin in his hands between the two mats on the floor in a corner of Leatherhead's common. One was occupied. One was not. Raph had already woken up and now sat with Mikey and Leatherhead, the TV on a hockey game. Raph needed to stay awake to guarantee no problems with the concussion he'd sustained from Jaguar.

Yuki had yet to wake up. She lay beneath a moth-bitten quilt, her breaths short and quick – was that a result of her blood loss? Don didn't know. He and Leatherhead had done their absolute best to staunch her bleeding and sew her back up. Thirteen stitches for the punctures in her side from Jaguar's claws. It hadn't been medically difficult – Don had had to deal with much worse over the years for his brothers – but it hadn't been easy.

He didn't notice Leo sitting down beside him until his brother said, "Hey."

Don didn't even flinch. He kept his eyes on the floor in front of him as he said, "Hey."

"You okay?"

Donnie shrugged. "I'm not hurt if that's what you're asking."

"Partially," his brother returned. "Come on, Donnie. Talk to me."

Don opened and closed his mouth several times before burying his face in his knees. "They don't remember Lynx."

"What?"

Don turned his head to free the sound. "Jaguar and White Tiger, they don't remember. Shredder must have erased their memories of him murdering Lynx."

Don could feel Leo's wide eyes on him. He was quiet for a while until, "Does Yuki know?"

"Yuki was the one to ask. They still have to answer questions. They answered honestly."

" _Shell_ ," Leo breathed. "How'd she take that?"

Donnie's eyes fell on Yuki who was still and unconscious on the pallet on the floor. He could hear her screams, desperate and confused. "She went ballistic. She screamed at them, tried to convince them that Lynx had been part of their pack, their sister. They didn't believe her. They both called her a traitor… Is there any point in rescuing them now?"

"Oh, Donnie." Leo gripped his shoulder. "Of course there is. They're still her brothers. After everything she's done for us, how can we not help her? It just…got a whole lot harder. That's all."

"Oh. That's all. Leo, this is probably going to be the hardest thing we've ever done, and I'm including the Triceratons and dimension-jumping in that."

Leo was silent for a good minute and Don knew why because he had told his family exactly what had happened during the Draco-with-the-Time-Sceptre incident, and he had only told them after months of nightmares and anxiety.

Leo hugged him around the shoulders and Donnie leaned into him. "We'll figure it out," his brother promised. "One way or another, we will. We have to for Yuki's sake."

-:-:-:-

The first thing I became aware of was the pain. No longer searing, the holes in my side nevertheless throbbed, reminding me why I should never turn my back on Jaguar.

Jaguar. Ototo.

The clawmarks in my flesh had nothing on my wounded heart. My little brothers, they had no idea what had happened to Lynx, didn't even know she had existed. Shredder had wiped their memories or brainwashed them. I had lost them. I had lost them all over again. It was extraordinarily unlikely that they would ever call me 'sister' again.

Oh no. Did that mean my deal with Raph was moot? If…if the rescue was a lost cause, if my new pack couldn't help, was that it? Would Donatello even help me find out about my former life? Was I on my own now? Was it all for nothing?

I never should have left. I should have been a good pet, a good guard. Maybe then Lynx would be alive. Maybe then my brothers would still call me 'sister'.

I never should have left the Foot but...maybe I could leave this new pack? Maybe I could evade the blood and betrayal that were inevitable. I didn't want to hurt the turtles. Was I strong enough and fast enough to outrun them and never look back?

I wanted to run so badly that it hurt, adding to the ache and burn already in my soul. I didn't want to hurt anyone. My human life didn't matter if I got someone killed in the process. Again. My life now didn't matter because I had already gotten someone – my beloved imoto – killed. And Raph – Raph was hurt. I remembered his blood, his unconscious face, Leonardo's shout.

Fighting back the tears, I rolled to my hands and knees, careful of my side. Looking up, I realised this was not the lair. This was somewhere else, somewhere I did not know.

Something massive shifted out of the corner of my eye, and I lurched to my feet with a snarl (agony roared up my body), my tail lashing and my claws extending.

"Yuki?" Donatello. He came around the corner, a cup of tea in his hands. "Yuki, it's okay. Calm down. It's Leatherhead." He set the cup on a nearby table and drew near, his hands up in placation. "It's okay, I promise."

It was the pain that made me give up and I slumped to my knees, bracing myself with one hand on the floor while the other pressed to my side, my breathing laboured.

Donatello was beside me in the next second. "Easy, easy," he soothed. "You're going to tear your stitches if you don't sit down." He helped me back down and his hands flitted around my wounded side, checking bandaging with careful precision.

I tried to ignore him and instead looked toward the dim shadows wherein a mountain of scales, muscle and teeth stood. "Forgive my reaction, Leatherhead," I murmured, trying not to gasp. "I didn't realise you were close by."

"There is no need for an apology." His voice was how I vaguely remembered it: smooth and low like a long-held note of a musical instrument whose name I'd forgotten. Cello? That sounded right. Maybe. He slid out of the gloom and the luminance hit his form: a giant of green scales. His yellow eyes were curious yet calm as he said, "I hope you are feeling better."

I blinked. It wasn't a question. He knew. More tears gathered, threatening to spill. My new pack had told Leatherhead about asking me questions. I did not deserve these kind souls.

A sob built in my throat and I released it, wincing at the pain when I tried to breathe.

My tears alarmed them both. "Whoa, whoa, Yuki. You're okay. It's going to be okay," Donatello assured me while Leatherhead actually took a step back.

I couldn't say anything as I continued to cry, burying my head in my arms. I couldn't tell Donatello that I cried for more than just my brothers. I cried for him and his, for the pain I would undoubtedly unleash, for the death I would bring down on their heads; I cried for their courage and gentleness; I cried because I didn't want to leave but I knew I had to. To keep them safe, I had to.

"Raph's all right, you know," Donatello said quietly. "He's awake now. I can get him for you."

I shook my head, tears splattering.

He hovered uncertainly, his eyes darting, his hands fluttering. I heard his heartrate increasing. "Yuki, I would like to ask you a question."

"Stop." The word fell through my teeth as a hiss, and I clutched my ears in a childish attempt to block out noise. "Stop asking me. I don't want to answer. Don't make me answer."

I wasn't looking at him but his hurt punctured my nostrils and heart. His hurt was another gash in the bleeding mess that was all that remained of who I was.

"Okay," he rasped. "Okay. We won't say anything. We won't ask you anything." He stepped back, ushering Leatherhead with a hand, and they walked away.

I could hear their low murmurs to the others, heard Raph and Mikey protest, and then Donatello said something in an even lower voice so that I couldn't hear the words. Raph and Mikey fell silent.

I had to get out of here. Soon. Now. Later would get them killed. I had to go now while they were occupied and away from me.

Nearing footsteps ruined my chance. A faint whiff of blood and familiar scent told me without looking that it was Raph. He lowered himself slowly to the floor right beside me with a quiet moan of pain. Without saying a word, he leaned into my uninjured side, his head resting on my shoulder. Automatically, I flicked my tail to curl around the base of his shell, the only painless gesture of gratitude I could give. He understood and carded his fingers through what he could reach of my arm, from wrist to elbow.

My sobs gradually quieted, though tears still fell freely. My face was soaked, my fur clumping together uncomfortably. Raph stayed beside me until my shuddering breaths evened out and my tears finally ran dry.

"Hey," he said after several minutes.

"Hello." My voice was grating and wet.

"Listen, um, I'm sorry 'bout yer brothers. We'll figure somethin' out. We'll get 'em out."

I pulled my head up to look at him. He stayed on my shoulder, his amber eyes meeting me squarely, without fear or doubt. "You can't," I told him.

"We can, Yuki. We can…"

I shook my head. "I mean that you can't help. You shouldn't help me. I don't want to hurt you, and I _will_ hurt you, Raphael." Before he could argue, I plowed ahead. "Look at what happened to Lynx. She's dead because of me. Look at what happened to White Tiger and Jaguar. They're lost because of me. I know the damage I inflicted on Lion – it's a miracle he lives. _I_ did that. I did that for you, a stranger, to my own leader, my brother."

I looked away, the heat rising in my face but my voice remaining quiet and cold. "I can't let you help me."

"Yer not lettin' us do anythin'," he said firmly. "This is 'bout us doin' what's right, 'bout us evenin' the score. Ya helped me, helped Mikey – heck, ya helped Don today! It's only fair we help ya in return. And before ya can say anythin', I need ta also remind ya that we're friends. And friends don't let their friends do stupid stuff alone."

"Friends also do not get each other killed," I said, hushed. "I will not be your death. I can't be…"

Raphael sat up slowly then. I could feel his gaze on me but I refused to meet it. "You want to run."

And they had told me Donatello was the genius. I supposed there was a difference between genius and intelligence – none of the turtles were stupid.

My silence was enough of an answer for him and I heard him growl, low and harsh. "Never figured ya for a quitter," he said stiffly.

"But I am a traitor," I replied.

He opened his mouth but nothing came out. He closed it again. His fingers wrapped around my wrist, ceasing their petting and now simply hanging on, gripping me as if I were about to race for the door at any moment. I wanted to stay. I wanted to let him keep me here, like an anchor to a sea-tossed boat, but I knew – oh, how I knew! – that not even his anchor would hold up against the tsunami bearing down on our heads.

"Only to what ya didn't wanna be," he said at last, interrupting my reverie.

I dropped my head on my arms, roars of hate echoing through my brain. "I still wanted to be their sister."

"Ya still are, and yer brothers are waitin' for their big sister ta go rescue their tails. We'll figure it out, Yuki. It's like what Master Splinter and Leo say all the time: whether ya think ya can or can't, yer right."

I blinked at that, lifting my head to stare at him. He met my gaze without reservation. He believed. He believed that we could save my brothers.

I did not dare shake his faith.

Leaning my head on his shoulder, I purred, closing my eyes and basking in Raph's sure conviction and confidence. "Thank you," I said.

"It's what pack does" was the easy reply.

Yes. And there was something else pack did, too. "Will...will you help me up?"

Raph nodded and carefully took hold under my arm, his other arm wrapped around my waist and having a care for the clawmarks. He said nothing as I moved toward the sound of the television in the far corner. Mikey was there, sitting on the floor in front of the ancient set, Donatello was perched cross-legged on the back of an old yet sturdy couch that held both Leonardo and Leatherhead.

"Donatello," I ventured quietly.

Even over the TV's noise, they all heard me and looked up with various expressions of concern. Mikey was rising when I shook my head at him and he returned to his spot. Returning my eyes to Donatello, I held his wary gaze and said, "I'm sorry for yelling at you. You were only trying to help and I thank you for it."

Donatello smiled. "I'm glad you're feeling better," he said. It was all he said but I felt the sympathy and kindness behind the statement, and I smiled back.

-:-:-:-

Leatherhead assisted us back to the lair. I let him carry me because Donatello and Leonardo said they didn't want me to walk through the muck and possibly get my wound infected. It was a pitiful excuse but I let them make it and I let Leatherhead carry me. As we walked through the dark tunnels, my brain remembered why Donatello had dragged me out here in the first place. Granted, he had succeeded in introducing me to Leatherhead but there was something else.

"I guess this means I don't get my surprise," I mumbled.

Leatherhead looked down at me while the four turtles stared.

I saw the fierceness in their faces, their eyes like beacons in their fervour.

"Nah," Mikey said. "You'll get it. Actually, you being all injured and stuff will be good for the test run – ow!" He winced when Leonardo smacked him lightly upside the head.

"You'll ruin it." Three pithier words were never spoken, and Mikey immediately clammed up with a blush and a sheepish grin.

"Sorry, dude. Didn't mean to."

"Hm." It seemed Leonardo was in a bit of a mood because no one said anything more the entire rest of the way.

Leatherhead took his leave at the front door. "I will return to my home," he said, "and keep an eye out for more of your pack, Yuki."

With Mikey and Donatello supporting my weight between them, I was able to incline my head without dizzying enough to fall over. "Thank you, Leatherhead," I answered. "I am sorry the circumstances of our meeting were not more, um, pleasant."

The smile he gave me was kind, his eyes gentle as he nodded. "At least we have met, Yuki, and I am content with that. Master Splinter," he added respectfully to the rat who came up on Mikey's other side.

"Leatherhead, thank you for taking care of my children," Master Splinter said with feeling. "As always, you prove to be a friend."

I wasn't sure but I thought maybe the crocodile reddened beneath his scales. At any rate, he smiled, bowed, and left.

"Home at last!" Mikey announced with a beaming smile. "Come on, Yuki. Let's get you settled. Close your eyes."

What an odd request, but I obeyed, and let him and Donatello lead me away from the living room.

"Keep them closed, keep them closed. No peeking," he sang-song.

"I'm not," I replied, smiling in spite of myself.

"Okay, okay. Here we are. And…open!"

I opened my eyes and for a moment was confused because why would Mikey show me his room? But then I realised that we hadn't climbed the stairs. This room was somewhere I'd never been before and...

"Surprise!" Mikey crowed. "We made up a room for you!"

Mine.

Master Splinter, Leonardo, Donatello, Raph and Mikey all smiled at me as I looked around. There was no carpet in here, unlike in the other bedrooms, but there was a large, colourful, braided rug on the concrete floor. There was a small dresser, a full-length mirror and a full bookshelf strategically placed around the small space; and in the corner where a bed would have gone was a…hutch. There really was no other word for it. It was a wooden structure made of long and thick slabs of wood with a sloped roof, and a great hole in the front that was covered by a thin curtain of grey material. Curiously, there were also several lengths of cord with dozens of glass ends. These were draped from the ceiling light and spanned in several directions across the room, around the mirror, along the dresser, up over the book shelf, and dangling off the hutch's roof.

"Check this out!" Raph said, gesturing to Donatello who turned away from me and turned off the light switch. He plugged in the cord's end into an outlet in the wall.

Lights! Dozens and dozens of lights! They were like stars, bathing the room in a soft, yellow glow! I turned around to take in the full effect, and a memory flashed across my eyes.

 _"This is the second string this season! We're cursed, Dad, I'm telling you!"_

 _There was a chuckle, deep and warm, and a voice that said, "Well, why don't we just go back to the store? They've got tons of boxes, hon. We'll find something for our Christmas tree. Don't you worry."_

"Yuki?" Raph ventured.

"Christmas lights," I whispered, looking up at the yellow bulbs with newfound warmth. "They're Christmas lights."

"That's right," Donatello said with a knowing smile

Silence fell among them and I felt their anticipation. They wanted to ask but they didn't want to force me to answer. "This is wonderful. Thank you, everyone."

"Actually, it's Leo you should be thanking," Mikey corrected with a grin. "We all helped but he spearheaded the project and he had the final say on everything."

To my astonishment, Leonardo ducked his head but not quickly enough to hide the fact that his crimson face burned rosy in the gentle luminance.

I stepped away from Mikey and Donatello, and bowed as low as my wound allowed. "Thank you, Leonardo."

"You're welcome," the quiet-yet-fierce ninja replied in a tiny voice. He cleared his throat and looked me in the eye. "We can show you around."

"I'd like that."

Master Splinter and Donatello excused themselves while the others showed me everything: the luxurious space in the dresser for what Leonardo promised would be an extra uniform; my bed was a nest of quilts and pillows on the floor in the hutch, and I could draw the curtain if I wanted privacy; the bookshelf was filled and I took my time examining the spines. It occurred to me in the next instant that I was able to read the titles and I smiled to myself.

One caught my eye and I slid it out. Dozens of memories, too quick to make sense of, swept through my brain, but I knew one thing for certain: I had read this book and I had loved it.

Leonardo sidestepped closer to look at the cover of the book I held, and he smiled. "It's part of a series," he said.

"The first of seven," I answered.

"Oh, geez! Here we go!" Raph groaned as Mikey giggled.

But Leonardo smiled wider, meeting my eyes. "That's right. The rest are here for you." He reached over and tapped a much thicker book. "They're second-hand but in decent condition."

My tail went still, immediately freezing the turtles, and I turned to face Leonardo, looking up at him. "They're…all…mine?"

In my peripheral, I caught Raph's and Mikey's bug-eyed expressions because I had never, not since the nightmare incident my first night here, asked Leonardo a question. That I did so now (and especially since Raph was aware of my hesitancy in staying with them) was progress – for them and for me.

Leonardo glossed over it with all the finesse he reserved for training, and answered, "Of course, Yuki. Everything in this room is yours."

I looked down at the novel in my hands and then up at the bookshelf, the dresser, the hutch with my bed (they'd figured out my dislike of open spaces and had built me something to make me more comfortable), the twinkle lights, and the rug on the bare floor. My throat constricted around the question burning there until at last I spoke. "Why?"

Leonardo's smile was indulgently kind, the smile I saw him give Mikey all the time. "Because we don't want you to live behind the couch."

Translation: they wanted to give me my own space – to not be in the way? Ridiculous. They wouldn't have bothered with giving me books and a man-made cave, otherwise – and for me to enjoy my own space. I had not enjoyed my room at Saki Tower. Our rooms had strictly been for sleeping. If we were awake, we were in the Dojo or the Sun Room. This wasn't a room for Snow Leopard the animal, the pet and former guard to Shredder's daughter. This was a room for an equal, for a friend – for Yuki.

"Thank you, Leonardo."

"It was my pleasure, Yuki. And you can call me Leo."

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review.


	23. Chapter 23: Good News, Bad News, and

**Guest:** Slowly but surely warming up. :) They're going to need all the hope they can muster, for sure. Thank you for reviewing!

 **Rhodesincolumbus:** Thank you! I need to definitely incorporate LH more. :)

 **Leo-TheHunter:** And then I dropped off the face of the Earth for four-ish months. (My bad!) Thank you very much. :)

 **wolfimus prime:** It was hard for Yuki and for a lot of others, absolutely. Maybe things will start to look up? (Maniacal laughter) Thank you for reviewing!

 **Fight As One:** If all goes according to plan, Yuki and Leo will develop a very close friendship. *Crosses fingers* I love her new room, too, and of course the books were Harry Potter. Good eye because I never actually said it! :) I'm glad that you love the story so much and I'm sorry about your tears. I hope more than four months wasn't too long of a wait. :/ Thank you for reviewing!

 **lizzybudd:** I PMed you earlier but I want to thank you anyway. You always leave such wonderful reviews for me. :D

 **Nehamee:** Wow! Like...wow! I'm impressed that you read the whole thing in one sitting. Thank you for loving Yuki. I'm doing my best to not make her a Mary Sue, and it seems like I'm doing not too bad of a job if I'm getting such kind words from reviewers like you. :) Have an update!

 **PumaKatt:** Thank you! I'm sorry it took me so long to update.

 **Author's Note:** ... Yeah. Um... I am so, terribly sorry, everybody. I've kind of fallen off the wagon as of late but I'm scrambling to get back on. Life and writer's block have been in my way for a while but I hope to write a whole ton more before I go back to school in September. I can't say when I'll update, just know that I will. Eventually. :/ Anyway, thank you all for being so kind and patient with me. I know long breaks between chapters are frustrating. At any rate, here is your update. I hope you enjoy. :D

 _Chapter 23: Good News, Bad News, and a Calling  
_

"I have a question for you, Yuki."

It was after breakfast and training (the latter of which Master Splinter had me sit out) the day after running into my brothers and meeting Leatherhead, and Donatello had all but dragged me to his infirmary to check my wounds. Gentle, calloused fingers peeled away the bandaging to check the stitches beneath.

Looking up at him, I smiled. "You always have questions for me."

He shrugged, trying to be nonchalant as he worked. "A turtle's got to be curious about something."

"Or several somethings," I corrected. "Ask your question."

"Have you ever tried healing yourself?"

The question took me by surprise. Why had I never thought of this? "No. I never have. We were always looked after by Mi- Karai's doctors which she hired specially for us. There was never a need because our needs were taken care of."

"That makes sense," he said with a nod. "Do you want to try now?"

I thought about it for a few seconds before I said, "Sure."

He stepped back to watch me, and I pulled my legs up onto the cot for a better angle. Twisting, I winced, barely managing to bite back my hiss, and ran my tongue gingerly over the marks.

"Uh…" said Donatello, and it occurred to me that he hadn't seen me heal before now. I ignored him and kept licking until I felt torn tissue weave itself back together; the stitches needed to be pulled out but other than that, I was pain-free.

"Well," I said, sitting upright. "That answers that question."

"Yes, it does! This is incredible!" Donatello converged on the site with scissors to get the no-longer-needed stitches and continued to chatter as he snipped carefully. "I wonder if there's something in your saliva that helps speed the healing process. It'd be fascinating to look at a sample, if I may. Do you feel tired at all? Both Raph and Mikey slept after you healed them –"

I cut him off by placing a hand on his arm. He froze, eyes wide. "Not really," I replied, answering the question. "Perhaps it is different for me. We already are naturally fast healers."

"Right," he breathed, his eyes on my hand which was still on his arm.

Slowly, I withdrew my hand, and I watched his eyes follow it. "I am sorry I scare you," I said.

"You don't." He said it too quickly, and when he finished with the stitches and moved away, his movements were stiff and unconvincing. I watched him needlessly rearrange a few things on his desk, straightening the pencils in a chipped mug, picking up a stack of papers only to put them down in the exact same spot. It was strange to see him this way; he had been so confident in the park the night we had met.

"Donatello."

"Yes?" He faced me but leaned against his desk, his hands gripping the edge.

I blinked slowly, letting him see my calm, and I forced the words out. "You were brave when we met that first night. I could not smell the fear on you then. What…what happened?"

Donatello hung his head, scrapped his toes against the floor. "The stakes were raised," he answered, "and things changed. When we met…I guess I knew to an extent what to expect from you because I've met the Foot and mutants before. Now, because of a lot of things that have happened, I don't know anymore."

"That is fair," I said.

"It is?" he asked before grimacing.

I smiled at him, twitching my whiskers. "Yes. It's understandable and reasonable. I cannot and will not fault you for it."

"Uh…thanks. I think."

"You're welcome. I am willing to give a sample if you still want one."

He blinked, remembering his earlier request. "If that's all right…"

"It is." I allowed him to swab the inside of my cheek which prompted me with a memory of only a week ago: a small needle and an assurance of a few days.

"Donatello," I said carefully as he stepped away towards his equipment with the swab. "Have you… The results from my blood test, do you…have them?"

He paused, freezing, and I wondered if he had forgotten. It was certainly possible, in lieu of everything that had happened within the last several days. "Uh…"

He was usually more eloquent than this.

"You do have them…yes?"

"Yes," he said slowly.

My eyes narrowed. "You've had them for a while."

"Yes," he said again. "They came in a couple days ago. I didn't want to keep them from you," he added quickly, seeing my expression. "It's just you deal with so much already. I mean, Lynx and being here and now that setback with your brothers." He dropped his head, eyeing the floor. "I didn't want to add to your worries."

Anger stirred in my chest. That should not have been his call to make. This was my life. Those results were my life, my past and quite possibly my future. He had no right to keep them from me.

Then understanding hit me because he was right and whatever those results held was not the good news I had hoped for.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. He turned away to his desk, rummaged through a stack of papers, and pulled out a few sheets, handing them to me without another word.

I took a long and hard look and frowned. "I don't understand this," I murmured.

It was clear that he had anticipated this (very few could understand Donatello) because he explained as if he had rehearsed it, "Your DNA has been spliced and in most aspects reconfigured into something new. You are, essentially, your own species."

I exhaled heavily. "My own species…"

I could tell he forced himself to meet my eyes, to try not to be afraid because he didn't know how I would take this, how I was taking it. It was gruelling watching him. "There's no way to search any databases for who you were," he said carefully. "Any possible matches would have a percentage match of no higher than thirty percent."

"I don't understand," I said again, though I had a nagging suspicion. I knew this vocabulary but in this context, right now, I was lacking and wanted to hear it from his own mouth.

"It means that your DNA is so _not human_ anymore that we can't find who you were through those channels."

I looked down at my hands, flexed my claws and retracted them. "Oh." It was hopeless then. With my limited memories, there was no way to find out who I had been, find out where I came from, if I had a family…

I was right. I should leave. There was nothing keeping me here now. My agreement with Raphael was nullified in the face of these results. No one could help me find who I had been. It was all for nothing. My choices, my questions, Lynx, and now my brothers, it was all for nothing. There was no way to find…me. Human me. So I would run. Somewhere deep in my gut, that felt like the right thing to do because I was good at it. I was good at running. Raph would be disappointed when I told him – and I would tell him because then he couldn't argue with my reasoning. Plus, I wanted to say goodbye…

"Yuki?"

I looked up, dazed, to find Donatello a lot closer than he had been before. He looked me straight in the eyes and he spoke with utmost conviction and confidence when he said, "We'll find another way."

And just like that, my resolve faltered and I stared at him.

"Do you hear me, Yuki? We will find another way."

"Yes, Donatello," I rasped. "I hear you. …Thank you."

He nodded firmly and didn't move away. "A promise is a promise, after all," he said. "You've done so much for us. I'll help you find out who you were if it's the last thing I do."

It took everything I had to not stiffen at those words, not just the promise but the implication of his death, but I nodded. "Thank you, Donatello."

"Don," he corrected. "Or Donnie. I should have told you my name that night in the park."

"I know it now," I said, smiling a little.

He smiled at that, his green skin not quite hiding his blush. "Yeah. I guess you do."

A silence fell between us but my mind was in uproar. I had so many questions to ask him – his reminder of our first meeting brought all of those unanswered questions to the surface once more. He was pack now. I could ask him my unrelated questions now. He understood, better than Raph or Mikey, what it was like to not like not knowing. And so I broke that silence.

My small smile still in place, I looked up at him and held out my hand. "May I see?"

He blinked, confused, but when I beckoned him forward, he suddenly understood; last week, he had examined me and now I was requesting a turn.

He stepped closer and sat on the cot beside me, presenting his hands for me to inspect. I took them gently, turning them over. Calluses marched across his palms and finger pads from where he handled his bō and along his knuckles where his fists had struck punching bags and flesh. The lines in his palms caught my attention and I followed a long one down his right hand.

 _"Haha! That tickles, Mama!"_

 _"Well, hold still, then!" a kind voice said with a laugh. "My, my, what a long life you will have!"_

 _"How can you tell?"_

 _"See this one here?" A pale finger traced a line in my very small, very human palm. "That's your lifeline."_

 _"What about this one?"_

"Yuki?"

I blinked rapidly. There had been no faces in the memory, only voices and colours and sensations. I pulled my right hand back and ran a fingertip down the lifeline in my padded palm. It was impossible to tell if it was the same one I'd had as a human. Was it shorter?

"Yuki?"

"Don." I met his concerned brown eyes and smiled. "You have a long lifeline. See this one here?" I touched first his palm and then mine. "My mother said it means you'll have a long life."

"Your…mother…knew palmistry."

I smiled wider at our hands. "I heard her laugh."

I felt more than saw his eyes go wide when he said, "You had a flashback."

"Hm," I agreed, continuing to inspect his hands.

Those hands pulled themselves out of my grip to land on my arms, forcing me to look up. "I must ask you…" he began, and I nodded to allow him. "Did you see anything definitive? Any physical traits? Anything at all to describe your mother?"

"Nothing definitive. She had such a pretty laugh. I wonder…" I trailed off and Don prodded me with a quiet, "Yes?"

"I wonder if she still has it. I wonder if she's alive."

Don's face scrunched with pain as he said, "It's possible. I do have another question for you, though."

"No more questions," I interrupted. "I'm not done."

He obediently fell silent, though I could tell his inquiries burned behind his eyes, and let me continue my examination of him.

Abandoning his hands, I reached for his plastron, pausing just shy of him to ask voicelessly if this was okay.

He nodded, and I felt his heart pound beneath the protective plating when I pressed my palm to it. Unlike flesh, there was no give, and my eyes went round as I wondered if it was even possible for my claws to puncture through. Teeth, maybe. But claws? Probably not. And his carapace would be just as hard.

"Incredible," I couldn't help but breathe.

A sudden and fascinating thought occurred to me: had Don and his family been human like I had? Had they been transformed as I had been?

Don smiled at me. "I can see the questions in your eyes, Yuki," he said softly.

Was I that readable? Perhaps he was a good reader. I pulled my hand away and asked, "How did you become this?"

Something clouded his gaze and he looked down. "We're not like you," he said. "We were normal animals when we got doused in an ooze. We grew, became more intelligent, gained the ability to speak and numerous other things, but we were just animals."

Oh.

"I'm sorry," he added.

I was unsure and hesitant but I asked anyway, "Why are you sorry?"

"Because you're looking for empathy. You're looking for someone to relate to what you're going through. I'm sorry that we can't be that someone for you." He kept his eyes on the floor, as if hoping that it would swallow him.

I purred at him, making him flinch in surprise, and ducked my head in to nuzzle his shoulder. "You are pack," I said firmly. "That is all I'm looking for right now."

His hand trembled as he stroked the top of my head. He opened his mouth to say something when a knock at the door had him scurrying away from me. I had no time to ponder on or be hurt by his behaviour because Leo poked his head in.

"There you two are! We've been looking all over," he said. "Master Splinter's called us to the dojo. Come on."

"Coming," Don and I both replied.

Arriving at the dojo, Don and I took our spots, him beside Leo and I beside Mikey at the end of the line in front of Master Splinter who stood with his clawed hands folded over his walking stick. Raph, in the middle, cast me a sideways glance and went wide-eyed for some reason, as though impressed and shocked. I could only twitch my whiskers at him as I knelt on Mikey's other side, but that clear amber haunted my thoughts: had I really considered less than an hour ago saying goodbye to it? I nearly shivered at never seeing it again.

But then Master Splinter nodded to us and I inclined in my head in return. "Yuki," his quiet raspy voice said, bringing my head up and effectively breaking my reverie, "I trust you're feeling better."

Oh. Right. The bandages and stitches were gone. Probably why Raph had looked so surprised. It seemed like a year ago that I had found out I could heal myself. Bowing myself to the floor, I said, "Yes, Master Splinter. Don was curious as to whether or not I could heal myself. We are pleased to report that such is the case."

"Sweet!" Mikey exclaimed while Raph grinned and Leo smiled.

Master Splinter smiled, too. "I'm happy to hear that," he said as I straightened. "Unless you have anything else to report, I will move onto why I've called you here."

It took me several seconds to realise that he had asked a question in his peculiar unquestioning manner, and during my increasing amazement, Don spoke. "In fact there is, Sensei. The blood sample I took last week yielded inconclusive results. We can't search for Yuki's former, human life through any kind of medical records or DNA-based databases."

"I see." It was impossible to tell what Master Splinter was thinking behind his calm, onyx eyes. Beside me, Mikey patted my arm.

"We're not giving up, though. I'll think of something," vowed Don.

"You always do, my son," Master Splinter said with a kind and encouraging smile at the both of us. "If that is all…?" Don and I nodded. "Then we'll move on." He turned his full attention on me and I straightened my spine automatically, my tail curled neatly around my knees. "Yuki, my sons have informed me of yesterday's events and your brothers' plight. Understand that we will do all we can to assist you in aiding them."

"Thank you, Master Splinter," I said, half-bowing from where I knelt.

"Having said that, I am beginning to understand just how powerful and dangerous your brothers are. They are formidable and unlike anything my sons have ever faced. I fear for my sons' safety while they undertake this challenge, and so I ask you now if you are willing to teach my sons how to fight against you and your packmates."

Silence reigned in the dojo but my brain erupted into uproar. Master Splinter wanted me to teach the boys to fight, to learn from me so they could survive what could in all likelihood kill them.

I didn't dare. If Karai or Ma- Shredder ever found out, they would butcher us all.

But they were already bent on doing just that, so why did it matter?

At the same time, these were protected secrets of the pack – my own brothers' weaknesses that I would have to divulge.

But I wanted my new packmates to live.

In my conflict, my wandering eyes found Mikey who knelt beside and watched me with an unguarded expression. I remembered his body beneath mine and his futile efforts to save himself. His scream for his brother to save him ripped through my skull.

Tearing my gaze away and bowing to the floor, I pressed my forehead to the mat. "Master Splinter, I will do what I can but biologically, we're very different and those differences range from our skeletal structure to our instincts."

"I am aware. However, I would very much like to not have to bury any of my children."

When the boys stiffened, I did not. Straightening, I said, "Then I'll tell you now that one-on-one is impossible for them. Alone, they stand no chance. In pairs, there's a possible chance of success. As a full team, victory is almost guaranteed. Almost." I took a breath and turned full-traitor against my siblings. "I'll teach them what I know. Every pack member has tricks and every pack has a working order."

"That will be disrupted with two gone from the original five," Leo put in quietly.

"Some rules still stand," I replied smoothly, emotionlessly.

"Never turn your back on Jaguar," whispered Don.

I inclined my head. "That is one rule."

Mikey's hand slowly lifted. "I have a question: how come LH did such a good job holding his own against White Tiger if you guys are supposed to be so deadly?"

"There are four reasons." I raised my hand to tick off fingers. "One, Leatherhead is bigger and heavier than White Tiger. Two, he has teeth. Three, he has claws. And four, he has a tail."

"Tails make that big of a difference?" wondered Leo.

"Of course they do. They can be used as a distraction –" I lashed my tail against the mat, startling three of the five ninja with the noise – "and are as useful as a limb for tripping."

Master Splinter nodded. "We will dedicate at least one hour each day to this learning. My sons, Yuki will be your teacher. You will take her lessons as you do mine. Understood?"

"Hai, Sensei," all four replied.

-:-

Please review.


	24. Chapter 24: Animal and Human

**Guest:** Yay for woot! I'm glad you're enjoying it. :) To be honest, I think Yuki will eventually find out who she was. At least, it's in the works. Thank you for reviewing!

 **TMNT-Queen:** Aw! Thank you! It's good to be back (kind of back). I've been going through a couple of rough spots, and I've been sitting on this chapter for a while, but then I spent a good several hours writing and I think it came out okay. :)

 **Nehamee:** I'm happy you're happy! Here's another update! Thank you for reviewing!

 **aimeegreenwood1:** Former FightAsOne! It's nice to see you got an account! :D Don't worry about it. Life gets in the way of many things. ;) I'm glad you're liking the Don and Yuki dynamic. I'm really trying to hash out several things at once. Thank you for reviewing!

 _Chapter 24: Animal and Human_

I tossed and turned all that night, fighting down nervousness and the occasional bout of nausea at the thought of me teaching, and not just teaching but teaching _clan secrets_. Karai had gone to great pains to keep our existence quiet until our reveal to the Foot Clan when we had arrived in New York. It was strategic, looking back on it: we had struck a primal fear in the subordinate ninja, which had only increased their obedience and loyalty to Karai and thus to Shredder. I lay awake for hours, the soft glow of my twinkle lights falling through the open doorway of my hutch, and thought about how I had been a pawn. _A pawn._ Me. And my siblings along with me. Good for nothing but to obey.

My claws unsheathed on their own, and a quiet growl built up in the back of my throat. Safe in my own room and far away from Karai and her manipulative words, I hated her. Yes. I could hate her now. I hated her for what she had done to me – her lies, her broken promises, and her petting hands that I thought had loved me. But now I could get back at her. I could reveal everything she had taught us to her sworn enemies. I could. I would. And maybe I would get my brothers out of her reach forever. This was just a step, the first of many, I knew.

My stomach twisted at that thought; how long would this take? When would we be ready to free my brothers? Would we ever be ready? What if we failed? What if someone got hurt or killed or captured and then killed? What if…?

I winced at the sudden pain in my hands. Looking down, I saw my claws had dug into my palms, drawing blood. I sat up and eyed them carefully before slowly licking them. My flesh sealed almost instantly, the pain evaporating like mist in sunlight.

I stared at my hands for a while, examining them. Furred on the backs, they had tough pads on the bottoms, like Klunk's but more humanoid, with all the little creases and lines. I flexed my eight fingers and two thumbs: closed, open, closed, open. Without realising, I fell into meditation's pattern for breathing. In for a count of five, hold for seven, out for seven. Repeat. In…hold…out… In…hold…out…

As I breathed, I calmed, and my nervousness and anxiety faded away. It would be all right, one way or another. I lay back, still breathing deeply, and sleep finally pulled me under.

-:-:-:-

It would not be all right. I flexed my claws as Master Splinter put us through a warm-up kata. My tail twitched and my ears swivelled. I would begin teaching in less than two minutes and I wanted nothing more than to go back to bed. My steely resolve from last night was gone. Why had I agreed to this again?

"And finish, my students," Master Splinter called.

We bowed to each other and Raph, facing me and once more whole and healthy after a healing session the other day, grinned at me. Oh, right. They would get killed otherwise.

"Yuki, it is time. The floor is yours." Master Splinter bowed to me and stepped off to the side, his hands folded neatly over his walking stick.

I blinked, freezing, but then four years of quick-action took over. I was teaching now. _Deep breaths, Yuki._ First things first. "Don." My voice snapped out like a whip. "Tell me what you know about cat physiology."

"Uh…not much, I'm afraid," Don said slowly, startled at having been put on the spot.

"Oh, oh, I know!" Mikey's hand shot into the air. "Cats don't have attached clavicles! That's how they can fit into such tiny spots. If their head fits, the rest of them can, too."

"Dude, how do ya know that?" Raph demanded.

"We have a pet cat, Raphie. How do you _not_ know that?"

I smiled at Mikey's exuberance. "True. The same applies for big cats. It's why our strides are so long when we run on all fours. Tell me more."

"Your senses of smell, hearing and sight are way better than ours," Mikey continued. "The sense of smell alone is about fourteen times better than a human's. You also have a flexible spine and whiskers, which help with your touch and balance. Also, you've got this really weird and constant sense of up and down. That's why cats almost always land on their feet."

All three of his brothers and Master Splinter stared openly while I hid a chuckle behind a purr.

"What?" he demanded. "Someone had to do some research when we got Klunk, and I didn't see any of you guys doing it."

I cleared my throat, regaining their attention before a full-blown argument could break out. "Very good, Mikey. You're certainly knowledgeable." Mikey smirked and Raph rolled his eyes. "All of this, of course, is accurate. That's also not counting our speed, strength and endurance which vary among species."

Raph slowly raised his hand. "So, uh, if yer faster than us, how do we catch ya?"

I smiled at him so he would know that I appreciated the question. "Put me into a position where I can't use my speed. Box me in, corner me.

"One of your advantages will be your shells. We prefer close combat but your shells make it that much harder for us. Our main options will be your legs and necks but because both reside in narrow windows of opportunity, we will have to get creative. That means you must be extra careful. Work together – I honestly cannot stress this enough: you must not let us get you alone. If you're alone, you're dead within minutes. Our agility and endurance will be your downfall. Another of your advantages is your weight and strength: we're unprotected, furry flesh-bags." I smiled at their chuckles. "If you can land a hit, it might bring us down."

I glanced at Master Splinter who nodded. "So now that you know all that," I said, turning back to them. "Let's put it to the test."

"Wait, what?" squeaked Don. Off to the side, Leo settled into a stance; he had figured this was coming.

I crouched, my hands brushing the mat, my tail sweeping from side to side. "You four against me. Use your weapons. Go."

"What?" It was Mikey that time, but I was already leaping at them.

All four scattered, their training kicking in. Metal sang, and I ducked to avoid Leo's swing. I grabbed his arm as it swept overhead and yanked him fully off his feet, throwing him into Raph and Mikey who were coming up behind me. I pivoted and went after Don.

I forgot about his bō.

Instead of swinging it, he thrust it right at me – a hard wooden stick that was six feet long – nailing me in the diaphragm before I could touch him. I collapsed mid-spring and lay on the mat, trying and failing to inhale.

"Whoa! Time-out!"

"What the shell, Don? Did ya hafta hit her so hard?!" Was that Raph? It sounded like Raph.

Racing feet approached. "Oh my gosh, Yuki! Are you okay?" Gentle hands touched my shoulder.

"Is this a trick? I'm confused." Mikey's voice sounded from close by.

At long last, my body took a breath and the air wheezed through me. I rolled over, wincing, and found all four turtles hovering overhead. Raph looked downright murderous. Ignoring him, I answered both questions addressed to me at once: "No." I gasped for a few more seconds and then added, "Nice shot, Donnie."

His dark blush was barely visible beneath his green skin as he gave me a helpful hand upright. "Uh, thanks. I…kind of thought that, because you prefer close combat, I could take you down before you got close enough."

I made a sound that hopefully sounded positive, my own breathing too loud in my ears to tell otherwise.

After another few seconds, I got to my feet, though I was still sore. The others backed away to give me room. "Master Splinter, we should give them all bō," I said. "They…know how to use such a weapon…yes?"

Master Splinter ignored my hesitancy and nodded. "I agree, and yes, they do. I wouldn't let them touch metal until they had mastered the staff. Leonardo still uses it when he trains but Donatello is the most experienced."

"But, Sensei, we don't really need –" Raph began. I cut him off by lunging at him. My aching stomach muscles pulled but I forced myself to move. I landed in front of him. He swung his sai up automatically, the instinct ingrained in him, but my hand was already on his arm, trapping it. I unsheathed my claws and pressed, watching him flinch at the five sharp knives that could puncture through skin and muscle and arteries. My bare teeth were an inch from his face.

"You were looking right at me, Raphael," I said slowly, not yet releasing him. He stared up at me, as everyone else did, and it occurred to me that I was nearly at full height, my shoulders only hunching to bring my head down at his face. "You saw me move and reacted but your weapons were rendered useless. Congratulations," I said, stepping back at last. "You're dead.

"However…"

I leaped away, directly to my right, aiming for Don who reacted just as quickly as Raph had. But where I had entrapped Raph's close-quarters weapon, I found the end of a staff thrusting toward me. I pulled up short, hard wood barely two inches from my throat and I four feet away from him. I smiled at everyone's astonishment, not the least of which was Don's; he blinked, surprised that he had defeated me so easily again. "Congratulations on your kill, Donatello," I said. "Had I not stopped, you would have crushed my larynx." I drew away and crouched a fraction, my tail sweeping back and forth.

"Your instincts and reflexes are the same. Neither is faster than the other but because Raph's weapons are shorter, he renders himself vulnerable to my longer reach which means my claws and my teeth." I looked at Leo, then Mikey, and lastly Raph. You cannot sacrifice something so precious because your death will be the only result, so you will have a staff. I hope this demonstration cleared up any misgivings or confusion."

All four nodded. "Yes, Yuki."

"Good. Now, tell me what you did wrong."

"We scattered," Leo said instantly, low and calm.

"Yes," I said with a slow nod. "I'm sure dividing your forces suits you against other enemies but my brothers are not like other enemies. They are too fast and too powerful for one or two opponents. What else?"

"Leo tried ta take yer head off all by himself," Raph muttered. Leo scowled but said nothing.

"We also underestimated your strength – who knew you could throw Leo one-handed?" Mikey added, fighting a smile.

I _had_ thrown Leo. Oh geez, what if he had landed on his sword? What if Raph or Mikey had gotten skewered? "Are you all right?" I asked the three of them quietly.

Raph waved a dismissive hand. "Not even any bruises. We're fine," he said.

"Shells, remember?" Mikey quipped, rapping his own with his knuckles.

"I remember," I answered. "I'm glad you're not hurt."

"Takes more than that ta hurt us," Raph bragged.

Large teeth sank into soft, green flesh. I blinked rapidly to dispel the memory, though my eyes couldn't help but flick to Raph's shoulder – healed, though scarred. Yes. I knew what it took to hurt the turtles.

The hour flew by, and I was surprised when Master Splinter made a quiet 'ahem' to take over the remainder of the morning's training. It was not my imagination when I saw Don and even Mikey slump with relief. I had not drilled them too hard, had I? If anything, I had done most of the work: teaching them to anticipate my quick movements, and proving the fact that distance meant nothing when I could cover ten feet in a single spring. I had been active while they had been more or less stationary, moving only when needed. So why did they look relieved to go through kata, armed now with standard staves? Perhaps they were unused to my teaching method? Perhaps I was too harsh in showcasing the real threat my brothers were?

I wanted to ask but I knew this was something I would have to deal with. They would have to deal with it. I couldn't risk going easy on them when White Tiger, Jaguar and Lion would not. Whatever it was that unsettled them, it was irrelevant to what we hoped to accomplish, and I forced myself to not worry about it as Master Splinter continued to put us through drills.

-:-:-:-

The afternoon was a lazy affair. I licked my Don-given bruises and mostly napped in the living room while the others did whatever it was they chose to do.

I was wrestling with Klunk (he swiping and jumping at me while I carefully batted at him), the scents of dinner wafting through the air, when Raph came in.

"Hey, Yuki," he greeted me.

"Raph," I said, pulling my hand away from Klunk's pounce. With a quick flick of my left hand, I flipped him onto his back and tickled his belly.

Raph watched us for a second before saying, "Uh, head's up for guests. April and Casey are comin' for dinner tonight."

"I will not jump Casey," I answered, smiling at him while Klunk tried to claw at my wrist. My thicker fur disallowed it.

"Uh, good. That's good." He didn't leave and I tilted my head to one side.

"There is something wrong," I observed.

"No! No, not really, uh…" He shifted his weight. When had he become so nervous? First Don and now Raph. At least Don had offered an explanation when I had asked.

I sighed, ceased playing with Klunk, and sat up. "What did I do?"

"You? What'd'ya mean? Ya didn't do anythin'."

"You have been acting strangely since our training this morning. Something has unsettled you… you and your brothers." It was a guess that it was all four of them.

"Oh." Raph looked away. "Right. Uh, maybe we should take this somewhere else. I mean, April and Casey are due any minute."

My jaw tightened but I refrained from narrowing my eyes or hissing when I said, "They are your friends which means they are my pack which means there cannot be anything you want to say that they should not overhear."

"It's not that, Yuki." Leo walked around the corner with Don and Mikey behind him. My brow lifted. All four at once? Something was definitely wrong. But they settled in, Raph sitting beside me while Mikey and Don sat on the couch; Klunk leaped into Mikey's lap, demanding loudly to be petted. Leo sat in front of me, an arm resting on the coffee table: a clear sign of forced casualness. I pulled myself up so I sat cross-legged on the floor, rather than on my haunches.

It was Mikey who spoke first, his hands busily stroking Klunk's back. "We're trying, Yuki. We really are. And it's not your fault. It's just nature and what we are and all that stuff, and, well, it's not really our fault either, so, uh…"

 _We're scared of you._

It hit me like Don's bō to my stomach, stealing away my breath, because _of course_. Of _course_ it wasn't anything I had previously thought. It wasn't the threat that my brothers were; it was the threat that _I was_. I had showcased – shown-off like the idiot I was – my very real abilities that could get them killed. I had spent an hour proving to them how easy it was to kill them. I was an ever-present reality of death.

Don had said it just yesterday: no one knew what to expect from me anymore. Foot ninja and mutants they could deal with, but not me. They had no idea how to deal with me, a predator and a traitor in their own house.

"Oh." I curled my tail around myself, curving my shoulders inward. "I see."

"We're workin' on it," Raph said, low and earnest. "We promise we are –"

The snarl ripped out of me before I even gave it any thought. Raph flinched, Don and Mikey froze, and Leo's hand shot to his katana but didn't draw it.

"Don't," I growled. The snarl slid backward, a low grumble in my throat and more controlled, as I continued, "Don't promise. I'm _sick_ of promises."

"Yuki, sheathe your claws." Leo's voice, firm and commanding, broke through my intensity, and I obeyed instantly. I also lowered my lip, hiding my fangs once more.

Five heartbeats fluttered rapidly nearby (Master Splinter hovered uncertainly in the kitchen doorway). Four green faces were pale. Three pairs of eyes were wide; two were narrowed. Klunk was unperturbed by everything.

Leo straightened carefully, dropping his hand from his katana hilt to his lap. "Yuki," he said slowly, "I understand that you have some strong feelings about a lot of things and you might not understand why, but that does not give you the excuse to take those feelings out on us." His tone was clipped, still in Leader Mode. I made myself smaller in the face of the Pack Leader, and he continued. "We're trying but you have to try, too. This is not a one-way street and you are not just an animal. I know you were trained for what you thought was your whole life as an animal, and I'm sorry, but you need to remember that you're also human. You're intelligent enough to do that. If you have issues you want to discuss, we're here and we'll listen. If you don't want to talk, I suggest meditation or the dojo as other possible outlets, but you _will not_ snarl at my family. Am I clear?"

I hunkered to the floor, my tail stiff and curled around my limbs, my ears down, and my whiskers low. I eyed the ground. "Yes, Leo."

He said nothing more – no one said anything – and I dared a glance up. Leo's navy eyes were waiting for me and held my gaze as firmly as his tone had held my attention. Then, almost imperceptibly, he tucked his chin: protecting the neck, anticipating an attack. I was unsure if he did it consciously or not, but I also knew it as a partial threat display. Leo was readying himself to charge, to pounce. I fought to not do as I had done for Lion: lie down and bare my belly and neck; Leo had just told me I was not just an animal and, therefore, would not appreciate an animal's surrender display. It took every ounce of will I possessed to hang my head and drop my eyes.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Thank you for apologising." Leo leaned forward, his eyes and voice gentling. "We know this is hard for you, Yuki. We'll help you all we can but you have to help yourself, too." His 'okay?' went unsaid but was clear subtext.

I nodded and then froze when a green hand landed on my shoulder. I stared up at Leo who was so casually touching me. After I had thrown him this morning. After I had taught them all how dangerous I was. He smiled at me, patted my shoulder, and left for the kitchen.

My keen ears caught Master Splinter's "Well done, my son."

Raph, Mikey and Don exhaled heavily. "Well," Mikey said, his voice trembling just a little, "that wasn't the worst Leo Lecture I've seen."

Raph and Don both nodded mutely.

I looked away. "I'm sorry for scaring you, um, all the time."

Raph punched my shoulder lightly. His inhale was shaky but his voice was steady when he said, "Maybe we can put those scarin' skills ta use? Wanna come out patrollin'?"

The question took me by surprise and I opened and closed my mouth a couple of times because did I want to go patrolling with them?

"Raph, that might not be the best idea," Don inputted quietly.

But Raph waved a hand. "No problem-o. We just gotta talk Sensei and Leo inta it. Shouldn't be too hard. Besides, we can train with Yuki some more."

"Good luck with that argument, bro," said Mikey, his hands calmly stroking Klunk's spine.

A low whirr caught my attention, and I flicked an ear in the elevator's direction. "April and Casey are here," I announced.

"Aw, yes! Time to eat!" Mikey jumped up, skillfully shifting Klunk from his lap to a shoulder, and trotted away. Don ambled after him, after a brief hesitation.

Raph stayed beside me. "You know somethin'?"

"What is it?"

"Ya didn't answer my question." He was smiling.

Oh. _Oh._ "Is that…bad?"

"Not a bit, Yuki. Not a bit. Still, though, ya wanna come?"

"I don't know if I want to, but I will if Leo and Master Splinter allow it."

"Sweet. Oh, and we got another surprise for ya. Well, April's got it. She's bringin' it, anyway."

Another surprise?

"Hey, guys!" Casey's booming voice echoed, prompting me and Raph to get up and move towards people and food.

"Casey, my man! It's been too long!" Mikey gushed. "And, April, is your hair longer?"

"It's barely been a week, Mikey," April said with a laugh, "so no." She turned that radiant smile on me when I rounded the corner. "Yuki!" she greeted (I briefly wondered who had informed her of my new name and suspected Mikey) and strode forward. For some reason, she had a single dining chair in hand. It had a white bow on it.

Raph nudged me. "Surprise," he murmured.

A chair?

April reached for my hand and didn't shake it so much as squeeze it gently. "This is our gift – from me and Casey – to you in welcoming you to the weird clan-slash-family-slash-pack-thing."

"I told you to be more eloquent than that, April!" Mikey moaned. "Why'd you use my words?"

"Because they were hilarious and true. Nobody knows what this is exactly." She gestured with a hand to encompass the lair and those standing in the room, and presented the chair to me. I took it, knowing my face betrayed my complete and utter confusion.

"Thank you," I managed to say.

"Dinner's ready!" Leo announced, poking his head out of the doorway.

"All right!" Mikey rejoiced, bounding away. "Come on, Yuki! Bring the chair! You're gonna need it!"

I was going to need it? For what…?

I trailed off as soon as I entered the kitchen. Because there were seven chairs currently around the table. I held an eighth.

Welcome to the weird clan-slash-family-slash-pack-thing.

I was not just an animal.

I was also human.

Setting the chair down and not caring a bit that it was in the middle of everyone's way, I turned around and, for the first time since the night I had escaped Saki Tower, hugged another person. I wrapped my arms around April and squeezed as gently as she had my hand. "Thank you," I whispered, not trusting my voice to not break as tears threatened me.

She stiffened a fraction, clearly taken aback by my physical interaction, but patted my back. "You're welcome, Yuki."

They were all scared of me, to some degree or another, but they were trying, and like Leo said, I had to try, too. But I would work on all of that later. For now, I basked in how good it felt to be welcome.

-:-

Thank you for reading. Please review. :)


	25. Chapter 25: Domino

**Special Thanks** to **TMNT-Queen** , **wolfimus prime** , **aimeegreenwod1** , and **lizzybudd** for your wonderful and kind reviews! They always make me smile!

Welcome to **Memoirs From A Late Author** (FFnet wouldn't let me put the dots in your name, sorry), **razena** , **fusterbuster126** , **trollypop** , **RWRF** , and **Kelrisathefiredemoness**! Thank you for the favourites and/or follows since I last updated! :D

 **Author's Note:** I am SO SORRY for the long wait, everyone. School's been hectic, my muse was lame, etc., etc., dumb excuses. But here I am, and here you are, and I thank you for being so patient with me. *Hugs* I think I wrote this chapter three times before I was finally satisfied. I hope you all enjoy!

 _Chapter 25: Domino  
_

My chair and I ended up between Mikey and April, with Casey on April's other side and Don on Mikey's. Master Splinter remained at the head of the table with Leo on his immediate left, and Raph between Master Splinter and Casey. Being directly across from Master Splinter, I had a view of the entire table and the liveliness of a meal with my new pack's favourite humans. We passed dishes, neither April nor Mikey avoiding brushing my hands, and tucked in. I curled my tail around a chair leg, keeping it out of the way of any wayward feet or chairs. Klunk, safe in his corner by the fridge, nibbled at his canned tuna which I could smell from where I sat.

The meal was grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, and tickled something at the back of my brain: I was sure this had been a favourite of mine. It was delicious enough but there was something different about this meal than the others I'd had, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Something…cozy? Maybe?

Conversation darted across the table and between neighbours, but sitting beside April, I had no idea what to say to her. I didn't really know her.

She saved me from the inevitable awkwardness of having to start a conversation. Turning to me, she said, "Yuki, I love your new name."

I almost choked on my soup, but cleared my throat quickly. "Thank you, April."

Undeterred by my short reply, she continued. "Mikey told me what it means and how you got it. I have to say that having you with the boys will help me sleep better at night."

I looked down at my bowl and then up at Mikey beside me, then back to April. "Oh," I chose to say.

She nodded, her smile kind but her eyes tired. "They're too used to getting into trouble," she said. "You there to get them out of it is nothing short of a blessing."

"It's not like we don't know how to get out of trouble, April," Mikey interjected, grinning. "We've been doing it for years."

"I know. That's what worries me."

"They are all skilled and able warriors," I said in their defense. "If anything, I know less of Bushido and the martial arts than they do."

"That's not true, Yuki," protested Mikey.

"Yes, it is." I stared at him without blinking. "We were trained, yes, but only to enhance our instinctive predatory natures. Karai had no use for warriors when she and the Shredder already have those in excess. We are nothing more than glorified guard dogs. _Pets._ It would be like trying to teach cats or dogs honour in combat."

"But you are honourable in combat." Leo's gaze was unfaltering when he said it, meeting mine. I didn't even know he'd been listening.

I tipped my head. "Thank you, Leo. What we know, we gleaned from our mistress. We watched her train and fight in Japan where we were raised, and then watched her train and fight here in New York."

"Karai? Honourable?" Raph scoffed.

"Just like a snake," muttered Don.

I nodded slowly. "She is…ruthless at times, but those times are sparse. If anything, her kills are always neater and less drawn out than…others."

Leo's face darkened as he said, "Yes. The Shredder likes to play with his victims."

I thought of Lynx and how quickly and cleanly the Shredder had killed her. I swallowed and added, "But only to make a point. Those he deems unworthy and inferior are executed swiftly."

Beside me, Mikey touched my shoulder, sympathy pulling at his mouth and eyes. I barely noticed because the rest of the table – Master Splinter, Don, Raph, April and Casey – all looked at Leo with Mikey's selfsame expression, except it was…deeper, more personal.

A terrible conclusion bloomed in my mind. Leo? Fearless, stalwart Leo had…faced the Shredder? And _lived?_ My keen eyes roved over him, examining. The scars across his shoulders, plastron, and carapace suddenly became more horrifying; had Shredder and his minions done all of that to him?

Desperate and panicked to change the topic, I was all the more relieved when April turned back to me. "Regardless," she said, "I'm glad you're with them. And you're no one's pet here."

I nodded absently. "It's a learning curve, to be sure." Shrugging at her and Mikey's concern, I explained, "It's all I've ever known."

It was why April's gift of the chair had hit me so hard. It was why my room still rendered me speechless every time I entered, and how it pained me to leave it every morning. It was why I stood in awe of four turtles, two humans and a rat who tried so hard to help me rediscover who I had been, and who included me for me, set rules for me, talked to me, and listened to me. Here, I was an equal – or at least, they were trying to treat me as an equal, just as I was trying to not set them on the master's pedestal.

"It's not all you've ever known," Don put in gently. "It's just all you can remember right now."

I didn't know what to say to that, but was spared having to answer by a chiming ring. I blinked at the noise and Casey plucked his phone from his pocket. He took one look at the screen and said, "Sorry, guys. I gotta take this." He rose and left the kitchen, but I could hear the entire conversation.

"You ain't nothin' but a hound-dog" was the greeting.

The mystery caller replied, _"But y'are a friend o' mine."_

 _Countersign,_ I thought. Why would Casey set up a countersign?

"Jerry, what's up, man?"

 _"Nothin' good, I'm afraid. Looks like a suspicious shipment is comin' in again."_

"Ya sure?"

The intensity with which Casey spoke brought the other heads up; Master Splinter's ears both swivelled in Casey's direction.

 _"A hundred percent. Tha docks were cleared and tha cops in th'area were paid off. It's deserted. Somethin' big's 'bout ta go down, man. Ya wanna send in tha strike team?"_

Casey sighed. "Yeah. I'll send 'em in."

 _"I'll tell tha boys ta steer clear, then. Take care o' yerself, Boss."_

"Will do, Jerry. And thanks for the tip." He returned to the kitchen, tucking his phone away, and said, "Guys, we got suspicious activity down at the docks."

"Suspicious?" Leo echoed, his eyes narrowed.

"Yeah. My man just called. He says they've cleared the docks and cops were paid off ta steer clear."

Raph grinned. "Then what are we waitin' for?"

"I don't like it, Raph," said Leo. "It doesn't sound normal."

"Since when is anythin' we do normal?"

"No, my son. Your brother is right," Master Splinter put in gravely. "This doesn't feel right."

"Then…what are we going to do?" asked Mikey.

Tilting my head up to look at Casey, I spoke. "Casey, your man said that a suspicious shipment is coming in again."

"What's 'again'?" Raph pounced.

Across the table, Don's eyes went round. "The guns we threw into the bay," he rasped. "The shipment we sabotaged."

The night I almost killed Mikey.

"They got another shipment?"

"Now, I really don't like this," Leo muttered. "If it is the energy weapons, then the Foot's involved which means…"

"Fuzzy-not-cuddly company," whispered Mikey.

My heart nearly stopped beating. Jaguar. White Tiger. Possibly even Lion. They would be there.

Everyone was looking at me, and it occurred to me that I was digging my claws into the tabletop. I quickly retracted them and forced my hands into my lap. "Apologies."

"Yuki, you don't have anything to be sorry for," Mikey said gently. "We know this is hard."

"Yuki." My ears and eyes both panned toward Master Splinter. "From your experience, it is possible that Shredder's new guards will be present for this operation."

"Very possible, Master Splinter. Plenty of time has passed for Lion to heal. We heal quickly already, so it's likely he'll be there, too."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Raph pale a fraction, his hand going to his scarred right shoulder.

Leo stood up and walked around the table to him, putting his hand on top of Raph's. "We stay here."

"But, Leo!" Don protested. "They'll sell the weapons to the Purple Dragons! We can't face that kind of technology in fights! We have to get ahead of them!"

"We also can't face Yuki's brothers" was the firm retort. "We haven't had enough practice against Yuki – we couldn't even defeat her the one time!"

Don rose and planted his palms on the table. "But I did."

"Wait, what? When was this?" April squeaked.

Nobody answered her question, and I didn't dare because everyone stared at Don.

"He's right," Mikey said quietly. "He also did it twice...in five minutes."

Don looked at no one but his leader as he said flatly, "If we let them do this, our lives are forfeit, and then there will be nobody to stop the Foot and the Dragons. They will bring New York to its knees. Is that what you want, Leonardo?"

"I want to keep my family safe," Leo bit out.

Don leaned back and let his arms drop to his sides. "How long will that last, do you think, if they get those guns?"

Leo hesitated, his eyes flicking around the table to each face there.

It was Raph who spoke. Patting the hand on his shoulder with his free one, he turned slightly and said, "Fearless, we gotta do somethin' and we gotta do it fast."

Leo was silent, but he met Raph's gaze and nodded. His eyes fell on me, a question burning in them.

"With your permission, Master Splinter, I will go with your sons," I said, rising. "It's too soon for me to have healed on my own, so they won't expect me. But I have learned that the Foot expect them everywhere they go."

Master Splinter, too, got to his feet. "Permission granted. My sons, you will take staves. No exceptions." His voice was firm, but the slight tremble in his whiskers belied his calm.

"Hai, Sensei," they all replied.

We left within the hour, six-foot-long staves strapped across four shells. There were not enough for me to take one as well, but I didn't mind. It was better if the turtles had the weapons that would save them.

Leo took the lead, while I was ordered to the rear. I would safeguard their backs until we reached our destination. It was strange how barely no more than a week ago, no one had dared turned his back to me. As we raced toward danger, I wondered if I deserved this place of honour and duty. Nevertheless, I would protect my pack.

We arrived at the docks, a freighter already in port and men unloading crates, transporting them to a vehicle I couldn't see. I crouched on the roof's edge, turned my head away from the turtles, and inhaled deeply, filtering out the scents of brine and wood and exhaust…

"Hey, Leo?" Mikey ventured. "I'm, uh, getting that feeling."

"We're all getting it," muttered Raph.

I snapped around to stare at them, and the fear-scent wafted through the air. Were they this nervous around me? The thought came out of nowhere and I was instantly ashamed.

Leo stiffened and removed the staff from his shell. His knuckles were pale green. "Yuki?"

I stood up, not quite full height, and cast around, my eyes and ears open. "They must be downwind," I announced.

"No. They're down there," said Don, peeking over the eave. "Just the one," he added.

We all looked and, yes, there stood White Tiger, overseeing the truck's loading. _Just him?_ I mused. He was formidable on his own, but my brothers operated as a team. One was highly unusual.

"Yuki? You okay?"

My eyes never left the scene below and my ears swivelled to catch any and all sound nearby, but I answered Mikey's question. "Something's wrong. Lion and Jaguar aren't here."

"Maybe they didn't come?" Mikey offered, though I heard his uncertainty as he said it.

I voiced what everyone was thinking. "Unlikely."

"Regardless," said Don, "we need to get this done. They're loading the truck."

Raph leaned forward in anticipation, and I had half a mind to haul him back, but then Leo spoke.

"All right, guys. Listen up: Don, Raph, Mikey, you're going to play decoy and lure as many as possible away from the truck. Aim for the individual crates if you have to. Meanwhile, Yuki and I will take out the truck."

"What about White Tiger?" asked Mikey.

Leo cocked an eye at me. "How good is your eyesight?"

"We can see in almost complete darkness," I replied. "But if you douse the lights, a bunch of humans who can barely see will prove problematic."

Raph grinned outright while Don nodded. "I'll take care of the lights," Don said.

Leo released a tense sigh. "All right. Let's go. And watch each other's backs. Yuki, with me."

While Don, Raph and Mikey went one way, Leo led me in another. We climbed down to the alley adjacent to the dock and waited in the shadows for Don's signal.

It was less than a minute later when the lights went out, and it was then that we ran for the truck. Over the shouts of suddenly-blind men, White Tiger roared and rushed away from the cargo.

Why did that sound like a signal of his own? But I had no time to worry about it because a Foot ninja appeared in front of me. I tackled him silently, a hand over his mouth to muffle his scream, and rendered him unconscious with a swift blow to his head. I did the same to the three others milling nervously around the truck's rear.

The truck rumbled to life and a quick glance told me Leo was behind the wheel. Before he could drive away, I whipped open the passenger door and leaped in. It was more than a little cramped with my long tail, but I settled most of it across my lap, giving my feet some room.

"What are you doing?" he demanded. "Go help the others."

I stared him dead in the eyes and answered his question. "I'm not separating from you." I would not let him be alone. Alone was death.

He froze for half a second, but the hardness in his face softened. "Right," he breathed. "Seatbelt," he added, nodding to a buckle behind my right ear. I obeyed rapidly, and only after did he shift a stick. The truck shot forward. Behind us, human shouts went up and most were quickly silenced.

We barrelled down the dock, heading for the wooden fence-like barrier that kept people from falling into the water.

"When I say 'now', get out of the truck," Leo commanded. "Three…"

I wrapped my hands around the seatbelt buckle, somehow knowing that the red button would release it. I didn't press it just yet.

"Two…"

I took a deep breath and braced myself.

"One…"

The barrier was mere metres away.

"N– HOLY SHELL!"

I knew the reason for his exclamation because I was staring at a similar reason on my side of the truck: Jaguar had leaped up alongside, snapping his teeth and snarling and effectively trapping me.

Lion roared, his maw inches from the pathetic glass that was the only thing separating Leo from a bloody death.

We plowed through the wooden fence and my heart leaped into my mouth when the truck's nose angled downward. We plummeted into the bay, the impact throwing me against the belt across my body and shattering the windshield.

"Get out!" Leo shouted as water gushed in. "Get out now!"

My hands found the buckle and released it a second before the water closed over my head. The icy water burned like knives in my ears and behind my eyes, but I fought to ignore it, kicking my door open. I was about to swim out when I remembered something.

Leo.

My head whipped around to find him, to see if he was behind me or if he'd gotten out on his side and was already swimming for the surface. He was behind me. He was still in the truck. His hands worked frantically at the seatbelt that now trapped him.

My claws unsheathed themselves automatically and I spun around in the tight confines. I nearly shrieked, releasing my precious air, when I saw his eyes were no longer navy but an eerie, milky white. I had no idea what to make of this, so I opted for asking him about it later – when we were out of the water and dry and preferably back home in the lair.

Before I reached him, however, a hand plunged into his belt and took out a kunai. He slashed the seatbelt and was free. Spotting me, he gestured upward.

 _Yes. Yes, good idea. Let's get out of here._ I nodded and followed him out the driver's side, barely keeping up with him as he swam.

We broke the surface, gasping.

"You okay?" Leo asked a little breathlessly.

"I'm not drowning," I retorted. My thick fur weighed me down and I struggled to keep my head above the water, but I grabbed hold of a pillar and dug my claws in, Leo treading beside me despite the waves.

"There's an access point there." Leo lifted a hand – was he shaking? – and pointed to the left. It wasn't any more than twenty yards or so, but it looked like a mile.

"Okay," I said. "Can…can you make it?"

He nodded. "Swimming comes naturally to turtles."

"Uh huh" was all I said, and I half-swam, half-dragged myself along the dock, while Leo made swift progress. Turtles might have been natural swimmers, but snow leopards were not.

A warning niggled in the back of my brain, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why. It had something to do with the cold and wet, but I was far too busy worrying about the boys and my brothers.

Leo made it to the access ramp, a slick and icy incline that I opted out of. Instead, I used the bottom to push off from and hauled myself over the dock's edge, squeezing through the wooden slats of the barrier.

"Yuki!" Leo shouted, nearly freezing me in place, but I had already smelled him and my claws and teeth were ready.

I scrambled away in time to dodge Jaguar, baring my teeth and snarling, while he crouched on all fours and roared.

"Traitor!"

Was that all he thought I was now? A traitor? I first had to belong. I first had to care and be cared about. Only then could I betray. He had forgotten what had been before my betrayal, and now there was no recognition in his eyes as he rushed me.

I dodged again, flipping over him and landing on my feet. My ears swivelled backwards and caught the distinct sound of White Tiger and Lion roaring and Raph swearing. Wood whistled, snarls reverberated, and my heart pounded. At least Leo was aiding his brothers; I could hear his near-silent tread as they fought shell-to-shell.

"Ototo, stop!" I commanded as Jaguar lunged at me again. Sidestepping and spinning, I slammed my tail into his eyes, careful not to get it anywhere near his teeth. Dropping, I kicked out in a circle, catching his legs.

He yipped, as I knew he would, and stumbled, trying to scramble at me with his claws, but I was already moving. Jumping, I landed on his upper back. Unprepared for my weight, he fell, and my teeth closed around his neck. I could not break his spine as White Tiger or Lion could with a single bite, but I could strangle him with my teeth, or bleed him out. He froze instantly.

Tears welled in my eyes. I didn't want to kill my brother. I didn't, I didn't, I didn't. But I had to, right? To save my new pack, I had to. But I wanted to save him, too.

"You're hesitating, traitor."

Unsheathing my claws, I pressed them against his neck and removed my teeth. "I don't want to kill you, Jaguar. You're my brother and I love you. Don't you remember that?"

He tilted his head only a fraction to stare up at me with one eye. "I…I don't…remember."

Trained to answer questions. I purred shakily at him yet kept my claws where they were. "Lynx loved you, too. You saw her die. Do you remember that?"

His ears flattened, his eye widening. Confusion. So, so much confusion. "I don't remember."

"You need to, ototo. You need to remember." I pause, and a memory hit me hard. "You told me once that you would help me. You told me that we would figure out what was happening to our family. Mistress lied. Master lied, too. We are not what we thought we were."

Shifting my weight, I pinned him with an elbow and used my free hand to separate the fur on my right arm. "I showed you this. Do you remember this?"

Jaguar inhaled sharply at the sight of my scar – the old dog bite from another life. He stared up at me, his ears flat in terror. "S-Snow? Why…why can't I remember?"

"I don't know, Jaguar, but for your sake, don't ask Master or anyone else. They'll kill you."

He trembled beneath me. "What do I do?"

"Trust me and trust the turtles. We'll get you out. I'm going to let you up now, but if you attack, I _will_ take you down. I've taken you down before."

Something flickered in that amber eye and he nodded, moving as little as possible. "Yes. That sounds…right."

I inched away, keeping my claws and teeth at the ready. Jaguar stood, shaking himself out and pressing a hand to his neck, ensuring I hadn't drawn blood.

It was as we stared at each, weighing and waiting, that I heard a misstep from off to my far right. Daring to glance away, I saw Leo stumble to one knee. He was breathing hard and the water on his skin had begun to freeze, icing him over.

That warning hit me like a metric tonne: turtles were cold-blooded.

"Leo!" Don, Raph and Mikey all cried.

Lion rushed in, exploiting the weak point, but he never made it. I leaped across the dock, throwing all my strength into moving, directly in his path, and his teeth met my vulnerable shoulder. Biting back a hiss, I planted my hands into the ground, ignoring the pain screaming through my body, and swung my legs around. My feet slammed into Lion's side and he went flying, spitting and screeching.

In a corner of my brain, I knew Leo was on the ground now, shivering and barely able to keep his eyes open, but I continued after Lion. If Lion got back up, we were all dead.

I was on top of him before he could recover, but he reacted instinctively: catching my leap with his feet, he propelled me over his head, and I nearly landed on my face.

I whipped around and found him ready for me on all fours, and I got my first good look at him since I had run away. Claw marks decorated his face. His kosode hid his chest and shoulders, but I knew there were scars there, too. Some looked deep – most looked deep – and I remembered my sheer terror and desperation to get away from him, to get _Raph_ away from him. I had done that to him. I had torn him apart and left him. My brother, my leader, my friend.

"Lion, brother…"

"YOU DO NOT GET TO CALL ME THAT! I SHOULD HAVE RIPPED YOUR THROAT OUT WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE!"

My eyes widened. He remembered that night. He remembered. He knew me.

"You betrayed us, Snow Leopard! _You_ did! And for what? Them?" He threw a hand back towards the turtles who fought valiantly to protect Leo from White Tiger. I couldn't see Jaguar. "They are our _enemies!_ "

"They are not!" I shouted back. "The people who made us this way are our enemies! They destroyed us, Lion! They killed us! They killed Lynx! Don't you care about what happened to Lynx?"

Lion bared his teeth in a full snarl. "Lynx betrayed us, too."

I stopped breathing. My heart stopped beating. No. Lion… Lion knew and he…he didn't care. He didn't care at all.

"I have orders to bring the turtles in alive," he continued, "but you, I will rip your throat out here and now, and let the crows pick at your flesh."

I barely heard him past his mentioning the turtles. Shredder wanted them alive so he could torture them. They were important and so they would suffer. "I won't let you hurt them."

"You cannot stop me!"

I thought he would charge at me, try to take me, the biggest threat, down first. But he didn't. Instead, he turned on a dime and rushed at the group from behind.

"NO!" I lunged at him and…

I missed. I missed and landed hard, wrenching a wrist.

"Mikey!" I shouted.

Mikey stood over Leo while Don and Raph fended off White Tiger. He turned at my call, and his eyes were saucers in the darkness as he took in Lion bearing down on them. His stance shifted, his eyes narrowed, and in a flash of blurry brown, he thrusted his bō straight at Lion.

Taken by surprise, Lion didn't turn in time to avoid the staff and took it, full-force, to the head. He dropped, boneless and silent.

White Tiger screamed and slashed left and right, taking Raph across the shoulder and Don in the chest. Though Raph went down, clutching at the wound, Don did not. White Tiger had forgotten about their armour.

Scrambling to my feet, all I could do was watch as Don slid to one side and as White Tiger charged past him, he brought his bō down across White Tiger's back. My brother collapsed beneath the blow and before he could even glance up, Don nailed him in the head.

The silence that descended upon the dock was as eerie as it was sudden. Adrenaline still pumped through my veins, my heart still pounding in my ears.

Despite the silence, I knew something was off.

Stepping over Lion, I crouched beside Mikey who trembled beside Leo who was no longer conscious.

"We gotta get him home," Mikey said just as Jaguar appeared in my peripheral.

He was not alone.

Pealing out of the shadows came the Foot, returning after having fled to escape the mutant show-down.

Raph, bleeding and haggard, used his bō to stand and positioned one end over White Tiger's skull. Don did the same to Lion.

"Let us leave," Raph commanded, "or we bash their heads in."

I stiffened and glanced at Raph. He was joking, right? It was a bluff. Only…he didn't look like he was bluffing. My heart raced against my ribs. They wouldn't. They wouldn't kill my brothers – not after they had said they'd help me help them. They wouldn't kill them…right?

Jaguar snarled, recapturing my attention. He wasn't looking at the turtles who held our brothers captive; he was looking at me.

 _Trust me, and trust the turtles,_ I had said. I held my breath and waited, not blinking or looking away.

It was not Jaguar's call to make. A lone ninja strode forward. "Leave. We can always kill you another day."

I wanted to rip the smirk I could hear in his voice off his face, but I settled for scooping Leo up and using my tail to push Mikey back towards the nearest alley. Don and Raph followed us, never turning a shell to their enemy.

When we were safe in the shadows, Don's command was a hiss: "Run."

We didn't stop until we reached the lair, and all the while, I wondered if Don and Raph had meant to follow through on their threat.

-:-:-:-

April and Casey were still there when we rushed in, enjoying tea in the living room with Master Splinter. Everyone leaped up in horror when they spotted all the blood and Leo.

"What happened?" Casey demanded.

"Yer intel was good," Raph replied, but Don cut in fiercely.

"Yuki, bring Leo to my lab now! Raph, get your butt in there, too! April, Casey, fetch the heated blankets and get as many towels as you can find. Leo was in the water."

Don led the way to the infirmary and I shadowed him, Mikey supporting Raph and following closely. "Put him there," he commanded, pointing to a cot. I did as ordered and then stepped away.

As I watched Don whirl around his lab like a mini tornado, a question built in my throat. I hardly dared – I had never seen him this intense before – but I ventured at last, "Don?"

"What?" he bit out.

I flinched but rallied. "Can I… Is there anything I can do?"

My tone and question halted him, his face falling to apology when he looked at me. "Sorry, Yuki. I don't think you can heal hypothermia, so no. You…you don't have to stay here."

"I will see to Raph first," I offered.

Don nodded and turned away, though his movements weren't as rigid as before. April and Casey rushed in, arms loaded with blankets, and Master Splinter entered last as I climbed onto Raph's cot.

"My sons, what happened?"

"Give me a minute, Sensei. I need to stabilise Leo. Yuki, how long was he in the water?"

I snapped my head up at the question and answered, "About two minutes."

He nodded and rattled off orders that I barely heard as I focussed on Raph's shoulder. At least it wasn't the one Lion had bitten. I wasn't sure what successive injuries would do to a limb, let alone what healing them would do. Was there a limit the body could take, even if I did heal?

Raph was fighting to keep his eyes open when he took my hand – my bad hand: wrenched wrist and torn shoulder; but the blood was hard to see against my black kosode. I kept my face purposefully blank as he looked at me, exhausted and wane but healing.

"Ya know we wouldn't have done it, Yuki. We wouldn't've killed them."

A sigh escaped me, a weight falling off my chest and shoulders. "I do," I whispered. _Now._

Raph smiled at me, but then his smile froze and he looked down at my swollen wrist, which he probably felt through my fur, and then at my shoulder which oozed. "Yuki," he began, but he trailed off as he slumped sideways, the healing taking full-effect.

I caught him gently and Mikey swept in, taking him from me. He laid him down and tucked in a blanket around him before adding a heating blanket to the small pile.

I watched them for a moment, watched Mikey drag over a chair and sit between the two occupied cots, watched him pull his mask down to fall around his neck, watched him rub his eyes and brow and temples. I watched Don slow at last and heave a gusty sigh when Leo's temperature began to climb, April, Casey and Master Splinter hovering on the fringes.

My shoulder twinged sharply and I finally acknowledged that I was shivering in my soaked clothes and fur. At least my job was done. I retreated to the bathroom where I could lick my wounds in peace.

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review.


	26. Chapter 26: More Than Pack

**Special Thanks** to **TMNT-Queen** , **Shelly Hamato** , **wolfimus prime** , **lizzybudd** , **silexwitch** , **aimeegreenwood1** , and **Dragoness Nehamee**. Thank you so very much for your wonderful reviews! They really help motivate me. *hugs*

 **Author's Note:** I am so, so sorry for the delay in updating this. Some things have come up in my life that are...disheartening and making it hard to write. So. Yeah. I'll do my best to keep writing. I do want to finish - goodness knows that I hate hiatuses and leaving people hanging. Thanks for sticking with me, though. It means the world to me. :)

 **Re-cap:** Chapter 25 was _Domino_ , the fight between the turtles and Yuki, and Lion, White Tiger and Jaguar. Yuki spoke with Jaguar during their fight and showed him her dog scar on her arm, reminding him of their past relationship and Lynx. Lion was enraged by Yuki's betrayal and remembers everything, including Lynx's death (which he said she deserved because she was a traitor, too). Managing to escape the amassing Foot ninja, Yuki and the guys ran home to take care of Leo and Raph who were both severely injured: Leo has hypothermia from being in the bay, and Raph got another shoulder ripped open. Yuki saw to Raph and has now left the infirmary to lick her wounds in solitude...

 _Chapter 26: More Than Pack  
_

I was on the landing, almost to the bathroom, when I heard someone on the stairs behind me. Recognising the tread as April's and thinking she just meant to use the bathroom, I sidestepped out of the way.

"Yuki? Hey, are you okay?"

I looked up at her, startled. She had…followed me? Was asking about me?

"No," I answered, looking back down.

She drew level with me, but I didn't look at her. I just wanted a hot shower. I was shivering where I stood, the adrenaline finally ebbing to let shock and cold rip through my body.

"Are you bleeding?" she gasped.

"Yes."

She took my uninjured wrist, tugged me into the bathroom, and sat me down on the toilet. "Geez, why didn't you say anything?"

I shrugged and promptly winced. "I was busy…" I trailed off. It was such a pathetic excuse when I said it out loud.

April huffed at me, her eyes kind and worried, and her hands gently pulled my kosode away from my shoulder. She tried to stifle her gasp, but a breath of air squeaked through. "Yuki… This looks awful." Then she caught the look on my face. Her eyebrows pinched together, but she didn't ask me to tell her what had happened. Instead, she said, "This needs cleaning and stitches."

"It's no problem," I muttered. I really didn't want to let April know that I could heal, but…wasn't she pack? Raph had said she and Casey were part of the pack. And who would she tell, anyway? She was also bound to find out sooner or later. "It's no problem," I repeated and licked my shoulder.

April shifted, as if to bat me away, but froze when the torn skin began to weave itself back together. "Phenomenal," she breathed when I was finished and moved onto my wrist. "That's what you did to stop Raph's bleeding. I saw it – his shoulder was open to the bone."

"Yes."

Tears gathered in her eyes. "You are too good to us."

I really wasn't, but I was too tired to argue with her.

She hovered in front of me, her hands fluttering. I frowned, but then she said, "I want to help you."

I blinked and it was the fact that I was so exhausted and so surprised that I said, "How?"

"You're shivering and covered in blood. Let me run the shower for you…" She trailed off, unsure and hesitant because was there a line that she shouldn't cross in regards to social interactions with me? That question was written all over her face, but her concern was stamping that out.

She was pack and she wanted to help, so I would let her. I nodded and she quickly got to work: she ran the shower for me and helped me strip out of the rest of my clothes. I was far too tired to care about modesty – besides the fact that I was also covered in fur.

"I hope it's hot enough," she said, testing the water. "Hop in. I'll run your clothes to the wash."

"Thank you, April," I said.

She smiled at me and ducked out the door, and I stepped into near-scalding bliss.

My fur thawed under the spray and the half-frozen blood turned the water red. At least it was my blood this time and not someone else's.

A gentle rap on the door and a call of "Yuki" announced April's entrance. "I couldn't find you any clothes, so I got you a quilt, if that's okay."

"Thank you, April," I said from behind the closed shower curtain.

"Can I do anything else for you?"

Two words fell out of my mouth automatically, as if waiting for the question I was trained to answer: "Stay? Please?"

"Of course." There was a creak of the toilet lid as she sat down.

And the water continued to wash through my fur, and April hummed a little to herself, and I cried quiet tears that mixed with the clean water and blood.

When I was done, April helped me towel off and gave me the quilt that was warm from the steamy bathroom.

I wrapped myself in it, shivering still. I wasn't at all sure that it was from shock or cold anymore. "Thank you."

"No problem." She smiled gently at me and pulled a bit of the quilt over my head to make a hood. "That'll keep the heat in a bit better. Come on. Let's go see how the guys are doing."

I immediately balked. "I think…I think I'll just go to bed. Don assured me Leo and Raph will be fine. I…" April glanced at me and I looked down, finishing with, "I'm tired."

"Okay. If you're sure…" She took in my expression and smiled again. "I'll come get you if there's any change."

I nodded once, not looking at her, and walked away, down the stairs, and to my room.

-:-:-:-

April watched Yuki walk away, every movement so slow and controlled that she wondered if she was about to explode. Literally. Come apart at the seams and collapse to the floor in a mess of fur and quilt.

But the explosion never happened and the door closed softly behind Yuki. It was only then that April turned away, heading for the kitchen where she could hear Casey rummaging around.

"Soup?" she asked when she smelled it and saw Casey standing over the stove.

"Yeah. Figured the guys wouldn't exactly want anythin' too heavy after tonight. I mean, they had it for supper, but it'll go down nice, right?"

He looked so hopeful, like he hadn't been able to do anything to help, so this was his only option and he didn't want to mess it up. April smiled, wound her arms around his waist and leaned her head between his shoulders. "You're the best, Casey Jones," she said, and then she reached around and pecked his cheek.

He half-grinned, his ears turning red, but then sadness and worry pulled his mouth down and scrunched his brow. "Are they gonna be okay?"

"I don't know." April glanced back towards the doorway – where Yuki's closed door stood, uninviting and distant. "I hope so."

Absently stirring the pot, Casey used his free hand to hug her around the shoulders, planting a kiss in her hair. "Me, too."

When the soup was ready, April spooned it all out into bowls and helped Casey bring it to the infirmary. Leo was still unconscious and Raph was still asleep, but Don, Mikey and Splinter all accepted a bowl with murmured thanks.

As Casey took a seat on Raph's other side, April looked down at the bowl in her hands. "I think I'll take this to Yuki," she found herself saying.

All eyes fell on her.

"How is she?" asked Master Splinter.

April tried her best smile, but felt it falter on her face. "I'll tell you when I find out," she replied, and before anyone could say anything else, she strode from the infirmary towards Yuki's closed door.

Her steps slowed as she approached and she wondered why. Well, she knew part of why: Yuki was probably asleep right now and wanted neither company nor food; but April knew in her heart that she should at least try. She didn't know her that well, but she knew her mutant little brothers wouldn't trust just anybody, and Raph had been the one to bring her home. Yuki had saved them, healed them, and, April knew, watched over them in ways that blurred the line between friend and pet. Yuki was trying not to be the animal she had been raised to be, but April suspected that Yuki often fell back on her pet tendencies in uncertain situations. Being the animal was safe for her and it was very important that she feel safe.

April paused outside the door and sighed. Should she knock? She should technically knock since it wasn't her room, but what if Yuki was aslee –?

"You can come in, April." The murmur was muffled by the door, but it was still loud enough for April's human ears to hear it.

Blushing, she opened the door. "Hey," she greeted. "I wasn't sure if you were asleep or not, but I brought you some soup…" She trailed off in astonishment at the room before her. Twinkle lights criss-crossed through the air and were strung from the light fixture (which was off) and hung over the bookcase, dresser, mirror, and what looked like a slope-roofed shack in the far corner.

"Oh. Wow," April breathed, turning about to take in the full effect of the lights. "Yuki, this is…wow."

"I like it, too. The boys worked very hard to make it for me." Yuki emerged from the shack, still wrapped in her quilt, and April spotted Klunk perched on her shoulder.

"I was wondering where he'd gone," April said, pointing. "He usually sticks close to Mikey in times like this."

Yuki shrugged and settled on the braided rug on the floor. "I found him in my nest. He looked quite comfortable, so I let him stay."

"Mrow!" said Klunk as he arched his spine against Yuki's cheek.

"Please, sit." Yuki gestured to the floor and April smiled.

"Thank you. Would you like the soup?"

"Yes, thank you. That is kind." She took the bowl, eyed the spoon for two seconds, and then put the spoon aside, preferring to sip it.

"Casey made it," April supplied, trying for conversation. "He doesn't cook much, but if it's from a can, he can do it, no problem."

Yuki's whiskers twitched. "I will thank him." She peered at her from over the bowl's rim. "I take it you are not here solely to bring me soup."

"We're all worried about you. I came to see how you were doing."

Yuki set the bowl down. "I don't suppose the boys told you what happened."

April shook her head. "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to," she said.

"No," Yuki played with a quilt's edge, "I do want to. I want you to…understand."

"I'll do my best."

Yuki took a deep breath, like she was steeling herself against the inevitable emotional storm, and then began to talk.

April listened with enraptured horror as Yuki's story unfolded, from her time with her brothers and sister to tonight's brutal battle. Klunk had ambled down from Yuki's shoulder to her lap and Yuki petted him absently, lost in the retelling. April cried. She cried when Yuki chose what was right over what was safe and familiar. She cried when Lynx died. She cried when Yuki confessed her confusion and uncertainty in protecting her new pack – stay or go? She cried when Yuki and Jaguar fought, and when Lion said the things he did. She lost count of how many tears she shed for this young person whose heart had been broken and beaten so many times over, and she found herself scooting closer and closer so that they no longer sat across from each other but rather side by side.

When Yuki started sniffling and her voice wobbled with unshed tears, April put an arm around her quilt-covered shoulders.

"I just…I just don't know how to help them," she finished, and with that, succumbed to her sobs.

April wrapped both arms around her and brought her close, Yuki's head on her shoulder. "We'll figure it out," she whispered, pushing the quilt-hood down and carding her fingers through the fur. "One way or another, we'll figure it out."

Yuki's sobs quieted and she snuggled a bit closer. "Thank you, April."

"We're pack, aren't we? It's what we do."

"No. Some packs are formed out of necessity. Wolves will band together until they're almost a hundred strong when food is scarce. But those wolves are not family." Yuki turned her head to look up at her, then. Grey-green eyes were over-bright with tears and redness, so the next words took April by surprise. "It is good to have a sister again. Thank you, April."

They sat beneath the twinkle lights for a while longer, Klunk's sleepy purring a soothing noise after the tears; and April basked in the gentle gleam, her whole heart swelling with bittersweet happiness. She had never had a sister before.

Then, Yuki spoke. "I think I'd like to see the boys now."

April smiled, "I think that's a great idea," and helped her up, gently displacing Klunk to the crook of her arm. He yawned and lifted his head for a moment then promptly snuggled back down again. Yuki dropped the quilt and April did a double-take at her wearing some of Casey's old clothes. She bit back a grin when she saw that a hole had been made in the pants for Yuki's long tail.

Yuki saw her looking. "These aren't…yours…are they?" she asked, gesturing to the shirt.

"Nope." And April left it at that. "Come on." She took Yuki's hand – mostly to keep her upright (instead of crouching or on all fours), but also out of curiosity. The pads on those fingers and the palm were rough against her skin, just like any cat's. Yuki smiled at their joined hands and followed April out.

When they arrived in Don's lab, Master Splinter occupied the chair between Leo's and Raph's cots, Casey was nowhere to be seen, Raph was awake and Leo was sitting up. Both turtles nursed bowls of steaming soup.

"Guys!" April crowed, releasing Yuki to run forward. She embraced Raph first, ignoring his grumbling, and then Leo who leaned into her a little. "How are you?" she asked as she sat on Leo's cot, letting him absorb her heat.

"Conscious, lucid, and on the mend," Don replied. He looked fresher, like he'd had a nap, and April, glancing at her watch, blinked at the hour. It was almost five in the morning. She and Yuki had talked for almost four hours.

"We thought you'd gone home, but your car was still here," added Mikey. "Casey's crashed on the couch."

April threw a smile at Yuki who shuffled shyly, still in the doorway. "Just having some good old girl talk."

"Don was bringing me up to speed about what happened last night," said Leo as he gave April a grateful nod. He looked at Yuki, his expression measuring. "Yuki, we've been waiting for you."

"Me?" Yuki blinked, her tail curling around her ankles.

"You fought Jaguar and Lion. And I know you were talking to Jaguar. You don't have to tell us right now –"

"No. I'll tell you." Yuki drifted forward to Raph's cot and sat on the edge. "While it's still fresh."

-:-:-:-

There was something liberating about speaking freely. I had felt a weight fall from my shoulders as I'd talked with April, my brand new sister. My soul warmed at the thought, and I hoped that, wherever she was, Lynx was happy for me. I missed her greatly, but April helped fill in the hole in my heart, as did the turtles. They listened to me now, eyes widening as I told them about Jaguar's renewed memory of and trust in me. I heard their breaths catch as I told them about Lion. My precious brother, Lion, who now hated me. Saying it broke my heart all over again, and Mikey, sitting on Raph's cot, scooted closer to me. I could see Leo planning behind his narrowed eyes, could see Raph raging beneath the forced calm (that was for my sake), could see Donnie deliberating, and Master Splinter quietly taking all of this information into himself to no doubt meditate on later.

Maybe I would to meditate, too. So much had happened recently that I needed some time to clear my mind and figure out what it was I needed to do.

When I concluded, Leo spoke. "We're getting Jaguar out."

"What? Now?" Don exclaimed. "Leo!"

"No, not right now, but soon. It must be soon. They won't expect us to retaliate so quickly. That, and we still have to find out where Shredder's getting those weapons from. Don?"

"I'll get on it."

"Leo," I began quietly, "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but…"

"But nothing, Yuki. We're getting Jaguar out of there as soon as possible. He's not safe, not knowing what he now knows and remembers. Besides, it will go easier for us if we do this one at a time instead of all at once."

I couldn't fault his logic. Still… "It's just…happening so fast."

Mikey laid a hand on my arm and squeezed gently. "We know. But we also know that we can't let him stay there. Leo's right; he's in danger. So we're gonna do what we gotta do and get him out. Okay?"

I took a deep breath and nodded, looking him in the eyes. "Okay," I said.

"I suggest we all get some rest," said Don. "The next couple of days are going to be intense if we're getting Jaguar out… When did you say, Leo?"

"We'll play it by ear," Leo replied. "We'll gather all the information we can and then we'll hit hard and fast."

Heads everywhere nodded, and April yawned. "I'm going to wake Casey and head home, guys."

I slid off Raph's cot and followed her out to the living room. I waited while she roused Casey and he shuffled off towards the elevator. She turned to me expectantly. "Thank you," I said, meeting her eyes. "Thank you for listening."

April smiled at me and touched my arm. Her fingers spread through my fur automatically, as I had seen it happen with whoever petted Klunk. "Thank you for trusting me."

I smiled at that, she patted my arm, and then she and Casey were gone.

"Yuki?"

I turned towards the approaching voice and crouched a bit. "Raph."

He reached for me, but instead of petting my head, his hand landed on my shoulder. His eyes were sad as he said, "I really am sorry for what we did out there. We shouldn't've threatened your brothers."

I was purring before I knew what I was doing, thrusting my head low to nuzzle his arm. "Thank you," I whispered. "I trust you, you know."

"Don't know why," he quipped, a smile tugging at his mouth.

I blinked and pulled back for a moment, regarding him. He stood still and returned my stare with a raised brow ridge. I surprised myself when I chuckled and stepped closer, bringing my forehead to his and still purring. "Because you are more than pack. You're my brother, my big brother. My ani."

Raph stiffened and then wrapped me carefully in his arms. "Feels good to have a little sister," he said.

-:-

Thank you for reading! Please review!


	27. Discontinuation Announcement

Hi, everyone.

I apologise that this is not a new chapter. After much deliberation, I have reached the decision of discontinuing this story. I'm so sorry. I've loved writing this and I've loved your reviews and encouragement, but I have to say goodbye to this story. I'll make a note in the summary and if you have any questions, feel free to message me. Thank you for sticking with me through it. It's been a joy to write for you.

Again, I'm so sorry.

Cheers and regards,

~ TheRedScreech


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